GIFT  OF 
.  O> 


THE    PSALMS 


A    NEW    TRANSLATION 


0,  I 


ir 


THE    PSALMS 


WITH 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY  AND    NOTES 


BY 


JOHN    DE    WITT 

D.D.,  LL.D.,  L.H.D. 

SENIOR   BIBLICAL   PROFESSOR   IN   THE   THEOLOGICAL   SEMINARY  AT   NEW 

BRUNSWICK,   N.  J.,  AND   A  MEMBER   OF   THE   AMERICAN 

OLD  TESTAMENT   REVISION   COMPANY 


NEW    YORK 

ANSON   D.  F.  RANDOLPH  AND   CO. 
1891 


"BS 

ZD4 


Copyright,  1891, 
BY  JOHN  DE  WITT. 


JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE. 


INTRODUCTORY    ESSAY. 


IT  may  reasonably  be  expected  that  one  who  has  lived  in 
long  and  close  contact  with  the  Psalms  as  a  translator,  will 
contribute  some  thoughts  at  the  beginning  that  shall  be  help- 
ful to  their  intelligent  and  appreciative  study. 

The  Psalms  are  unspeakably  precious  to  all  who  call  upon 
the  one  true  and  living  God.  This  attachment,  moreover,  is 
very  little,  if  at  all,  impaired  by  the  fact  that  several  of  them 
contain  much  that  seems  inconsistent  with  the  mild  and  for- 
giving spirit  of  the  Gospel,  if  not  absolutely  shocking  to  Chris- 
tian consciousness.  These  portions  we  learn  to  pass  over,  as 
belonging  to  different  conditions  and  a  period  of  inferior  en- 
lightenment, and  not  intended  for  us.  Or  else,  going  deeper 
than  the  words,  we  cast  aside  philological  trammels,  and  in- 
geniously translate  them  into  thought  that  is  not  incongruous 
with  our  later  revelation.  In  spite  of  them,  we  all  love  the 
Psalms,  and  are  more  and  more  coming  to  regard  them  as  of 
immeasurable  importance  in  the  worship  of  God. 

What  do  they  contain  that  has  given  them  this  permanent 
hold  upon  the  hearts  of  men?  What  master  spirits  are  these 
that  can  touch  the  deepest  and  most  secret  springs  of  feeling, 
and  have  expressed  the  transports  of  the  soul  in  all  its  contact 
with  evil  so  exquisitely  that  no  other  can  surpass  and  super- 
sede them? 

The  work  of  the  translator  is  a  matter  of  detail  and  micro- 
scopic examination.  He  takes  up  severally  the  words,  clauses, 


371491 


vi  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

and  sentences  of  each  Psalm  by  itself,  for  the  closest  scrutiny. 
If  he  be  merely  a  cold-blooded  philologist,  provided  that  he 
have  the  requisite  knowledge  of  the  languages  he  handles, 
together  with  tact  and  skill  in  the  application  of  sound  exe- 
getical  principles,  his  efforts  will  be  richly  repaid,  and  he  will 
perform  thankworthy  service  for  us  all.  But  he  may  bring  all 
this  to  his  task,  and  much  more,  and  may  execute  it  with  un- 
impeachable fidelity,  yet  know  very  little  of  the  Psalms  in  their 
higher  aspects.  His  necessary  nearness  to  his  work,  arising 
from  its  peculiar  nature,  may  have  excluded  him  from  any  just 
conception  of  their  glorious  import,  severally,  or  in  their  com- 
bination. So  one  may  bring  his  eye  so  near  a  painting  as  to 
discern  clearly  every  brushmark,  andv  yet  be  in  absolute  igno- 
rance of  the  conception  of  the  artist  in  its  breadth  and  fulness, 
and  of  the  masterly  execution  by  which  he  has  achieved  his 
grand  success.  Let  us  not  become  so  absorbed  in  the  correct 
translation  of  words  and  phrases  in  the  Book  of  Psalms,  as  not 
to  raise  a  question  with  regard  to  its  contents  in  their  unity, 
suitableness,  and  coherence,  or  as  to  whether  their  constituting 
elements  have  drifted  together  by  chance,  and  have  been 
clumsily  or  cleverly  combined,  or,  on  the  contrary,  have  a 
common  source  and  an  inner  principle  of  harmony  that  has 
attracted,  and  holds  them  together  inseparably. 

Any  competent  treatment  of  the  Book  will  not  neglect  such 
consideration.  Perchance  we  may  find  in  it  something  like  or- 
ganic unity,  and  this  animated  by  a  spirit  and  a  life,  if  inferior 
in  potency,  not  different  in  kind  from  that  which  our  Saviour 
claims  for  his  own  words.  We  may  then  come  to  see  in  the 
Psalms  what  we  never  saw  before,  and  in  their  separate  sen- 
tences a  depth,  a  breadth,  and  a  fulness  of  meaning  that  are 
splendidly  illuminative,  and  shall  prove  to  ourselves  personally 
the  affirmation,  — 

"  The  unfolding  of  Thy  words  giveth  light, 
To  the  simple  it  giveth  discernment." 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  vii 

Two  questions  are  before  us  with  reference  to  the  Book  of 
Psalms :  the  first  relating  to  its  contents,  including  both  sub- 
stance and  form ;  the  second,  to  the  mode  of  its  production. 

Most  of  the  Psalms  are  direct  addresses  to  God.  The  rest 
of  them  are  devout  meditations  upon  the  Divine  word,  and  the 
blessedness  of  those  who  receive  it  into  their  hearts,  or  varied 
expressions  of  spiritual  life  arising  from  the  most  intimate  and 
inspiring  relations  with  God,  and  suitable  to  the  sanctuary. 
The  central  and  ruling  idea  of  the  whole  is  worship  in  its  most 
comprehensive  sense,  and  is  embodied  in  a  single  impressive 
sentence  in  Psalm  xcv. :  — 

5.  "  Oh  come,  bowing  down  let  us  worship, 
Let  us  kneel  before  Jehovah  our  Maker  ; 

6.  For  He  is  our  God, 

And  we  are  the  people  of  His  care, 
The  flock  of  His  hand." 

Defining  more  particularly  the  word  worship  in  the  light  of 
this  invitation,  it  is  the  expression  of  all  thoughts  and  feelings 
which  man,  in  view  of  his  complex  relations  with  God,  may 
suitably  pour  out  before  Him.  It  recognizes  Him  as  the  su- 
preme and  infinite  personal  Intelligence,  from  whom  we  have 
received  our  immortal  nature,  and  on  whose  almighty  and 
gracious  care  we  are  dependent,  and  it  has  regard  to  everything 
that  affects  our  relations  with  Him,  or  in  reference  to  which  we 
may  hopefully  appeal  to  Him  for  sympathy  and  help. 

We  add  here,  in  a  word,  that  the  principle  in  this  worship  is 
not  constrained  homage  to  a  superior,  enforced  by  arbitrary 
pains  and  penalties,  but  the  cultivation  of  the  higher  nature  in 
man  by  the  encouragement  of  gracious  affections  in  unreserved 
personal  intercourse  with  God,  and  this  as  the  only  means  of 
preserving  him  from  utter  moral  deterioration  and  debasement. 

The  leading  elements  in  acceptable  worship  are  well  under- 
stood by  all  who  know  these  Psalms. 

It  begins  with  adoring  recognition  of  the  infinite  perfections 


viii  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

of  God ;  of  His  wisdom,  power,  and  other  natural  perfections 
without  stint,  as  surpassing  all  thought  or  speech,  and  of  the 
moral  even  more,  —  His  holiness,  justice,  faithfulness,  and  love, 
each  of  them  most  comprehensive,  and  covering  the  whole 
ground  of  human  aspiration  and  need.  Although  the  main 
purpose  of  the  Book  of  Psalms  is  not  instruction,  yet  with 
respect  to  the  person  and  nature  of  God  it  is  a  text-book, 
even  fuller  than  the  New  Testament.  In  the  latter,  this  pre- 
vious revelation  is  assumed  as  not  needing  to  be  repeated. 
The  knowledge  of  God  that  is  imparted  in  these  adoring  ap- 
peals to  Him  in  the  Psalms  is  for  the  whole  world  and  for  all 
time. 

Very  closely  connected  with  adoration,  in  the  material  for 
intelligent  worship,  is  the  conception  of  God  as  our  Creator, 
and  of  consequent  dependence  on  Him,  as  also  of  obligation, 
constantly  accumulating,  and  which  no  gratitude  of  ours  can 
cancel,  for  all  Divine  activities  in  sustaining  us,  and  in  filling 
our  lives  with  good.  This  needs  only  to  be  mentioned. 

Thus  far,  however,  we  are  on  the  same  footing  before  God 
as  the  angels,  save  in  their  different  natural  conditions.  They 
are  not  constituted  as  we  are,  and  the  sphere  of  their  existence 
is  not  the  earth  with  its  bountiful  supplies.  Yet  alike,  angels 
and  men  are  dependent  creatures,  and  in  the  same  throng  may 
bless  and  adore  God  for  all  His  goodness  and  His  wonderful 
works  in  their  behalf. 

But  for  our  use  a  book  of  worship  must  be  adapted  to  our 
special  relations  and  circumstances  under  God's  moral  govern- 
ment. In  this  connection  the  first  idea  that  will  obtrude  itself 
before  some  minds,  is  that  of  suffering;  before  others,  that  of 
sin.  The  recognition  of  both  is  indispensable,  and  they  are 
inseparable.  The  thought  of  sin,  when  we  approach  a  holy 
and  just  God,  is  entitled  to  the  precedence  as  the  originating 
cause.  Yet  man  is  liable  to  torture  so  intense  that  sometimes 
he  can  only  wail  in  misery,  and  cry  out  for  relief.  These  two 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  ix 

elements  are  consequently  intermingled.  The  early  church 
fathers  distinguished  from  the  rest,  as  a  class  by  themselves, 
seven  Penitential  Psalms.  They  are  Psalms  vi.,  xxxii.,  xxx\uii., 
li.,  cii.,  cxxx.,  cxliii.  But  the  incidental  introduction  of  sin, 
and  of  feelings  suitable  to  one  who  feels  himself  guilty  before 
God,  occurs  in  many  of  the  others. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  dwell  upon  all  that  has  place  here, 
unless  confession  of  sin  before  God  is  to  be  a  mere  mockery. 
There  is  a  recognition  of  the  heinousness  of  sin  as  an  offence 
against  the  Divine  purity,  and  a  violation  of  the  highest  and 
most  sacred  obligations,  and  therefore  as  something  which 
God's  own  grace  must  put  out  of  the  way  by  a  free  and  abso* 
lute  pardon,  or  it  will  forever  separate  between  Himself  and  us. 
And  there  will  further  be  combined  with  sincere  confession  an 
intelligent  consideration  of  sin  in  the  nature,  as  a  deep-seated 
and  fell  disease,  which  requires  a  new  act  of  creative  power, 
restoring  moral  purity  and  love  to  the  inner  life;  and  besides 
these,  surely  some  suitable  expression  of  hearty  loathing  and 
abhorrence  of  sin  as  in  contrast  to  the  holiness  of  God,  like 
the  contrast  between  light  and  darkness,  and  of  a  turning  away 
of  the  whole  nature,  in  the  act  of  renewing  its  fellowship  with 
God,  from  that  which  as  God  He  must  necessarily  loathe  and 
hate.  A  truly  penitent  and  regenerated  soul  will  separate 
itself  in  its  preferences,  purposes,  and  practices,  from  all  evil, 
and  the  separation  will  be  most  pronounced. 

Here  we  are  disposed  to  enlarge,  and  every  one  who  has 
followed  our  thought  through  these  commonplaces  of  practi- 
cal religious  truth,  will  surely  follow  us  further,  as  we  lead  the 
way  into  a  consideration  of  the  most  painful  and  perplexing 
problem  that  confronts  us  in  the  Book  of  Psalms.  We  al- 
lude to  what  are  called  the  Imprecatory  Psalms.  It  may 
be  questioned  by  some  what  place  they  have  in  connection 
with  penitence  and  a  reinstatement  in  the  Divine  favour,  as  we 
now  introduce  them.  But  it  is  just  here  that  we  find  their 


x  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

most  satisfactory  explanation,  and  we  shall  be  thankful  if  we 
can  suggest  thoughts  that  will  afford  any  measure  of  relief. 

But  first  let  us  face  the  subject  boldly.  Here  are  Psalms 
that  seem  to  be  full  of  hatred  and  revenge  for  personal 
wrongs.  Their  imprecations  seem  in  one  place  to  pass  into 
the  unseen  world,  calling  upon  God  to  strike  the  name  of  an 
evil-doer  out  of  the  book  of  the  living,  and  even  include  his 
progenitors  and  descendants.  This  cannot  be  overlooked,  or 
dismissed,  without  an  explanation,  and  one  which  shall  com- 
mend itself  to  sound  judgment.  Not  unfrequently  it  is  asked, 
on  the  assumption  that  David  was  the  author  of  these  Psalms, 
how  could  a  sincere  and  accepted  worshipper  of  God,  indulge 
such  feelings  of  hatred  against  his  enemies,  and  how  can  we 
in  our  worship  make  use  of  expressions  so  contrary  to  the 
spirit  of  the  Gospel? 

We  cannot  set  aside  as  valueless,  although  it  may  not  en- 
tirely relieve  our  perplexity,  what  is  often  said  about  the 
characteristic  difference  between  the  Old  and  New  Testament 
dispensations.  As  a  man,  David,  or  whoever  wrote  these 
Psalms,  is  entitled  to  the  plea  that  he  could  not  be  expected 
to  express  himself  in  accordance  with  a  revelation  so  far  dis- 
tant in  the  future,  and  that  feelings  that  would  now  be  intol- 
erable, are  not  discordant  with  the  standard  of  right,  in  feeling 
and  action,  of  the  times  in  which  he  lived ;  and  further,  that 
even  the  inspiring  Spirit  did  not  detach  him  from  his  relations 
to  those  times,  and  the  standard  of  moral  propriety  that  he 
had  in  the  only  Scriptures  of  God  he  possessed.  This  is  solid 
fact,  and  it  is  good  so  far  as  it  goes. 

It  may  further  be  said  that  these  Psalms  are  poetry,  and 
should  not  be  read  as  prose.  The  language  of  poetry,  and 
especially  of  Oriental  poetry,  is  that  of  exaggerated  passion. 
It  must  be  judged  by  the  conditions  and  rules  that  are  pecu- 
liar to  itself.  This  does  not  imply  deception.  No  figure  of 
speech  is  more  common  in  the  productions  of  Oriental  genius, 


INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY.  xi 

ancient  or  modern,  than  hyperbole,  which  is  a  rhetorical  ex- 
aggeration, employed  when  language  in  its  poverty  must 
necessarily  fail  in  expressing  the  fact  in  its  full  dimensions. 
Descriptions  of  this  kind  must  not  be  pressed  too  literally. 
Instances  of  hyperbole  can  be  found  elsewhere,  both  in  the 
Old  Testament  and  the  New,  and  are  not  confined  to  poetry. 
We  need  only  refer  to  the  people  "  like  the  sand  upon  the 
seashore,"  in  Gen.  xxii.  17,  and  to  the  books  so  many  that 
"  the  whole  world  could  not  contain  them  "  in  the  last  verse 
of  the  Gospel  of  John.  But  there  are  no  illustrations  that  will 
serve  us  so  well  here  as  those  which  are  found  in  this  very 
Book  of  Psalms,  where  suffering  is  the  subject. 

This  David  was  a  man  of  great  personal  heroism.  The  his- 
tory of  his  persecuted  life  indicates  wonderful  endurance.  He 
was  ready  to  face  any  enemy,  or  to  bear  any  privation,  with 
undaunted  courage  and  firm  trust  in  God.  Not  an  instance 
occurs  of  his  having  been  unmanned  by  suffering,  or  the  fear 
of  suffering.  The  history  to  which  we  refer  with  confidence 
in  this  connection,  which  does  not  deal  tenderly  with  his 
known  moral  weaknesses,  is  prose.  Yet  this  fearlessness  is 
sometimes  expressed  vehemently  in  the  Psalms,  for  even 
poetry  is  not  always  hyperbolical.  But  in  how  many  of  them 
he  appears  in  a  quite  different  character,  moaning,  groaning, 
wailing,  roaring,  overwhelmed  with  grief  day  and  night,  mak- 
ing his  bed  to  swim  with  tears,  and  through  the  hours  of  dark- 
ness calling  aloud  to  God,  —  because  evil-minded  men  were 
plotting  against  his  life,  or  perhaps  because  some  one  man 
was  persecuting  him  with  vile  slander.  One  would  say,  this 
is  not  manly,  but  childish.  Such  weakness  is  despicable. 
Surely  neither  David  nor  any  man  prominent  in  Israelitish 
history  could  have  written  these  sentences. 

But  not  more  foreign  to  David's  actual  life  was  this  cowardly 
spirit,  than  the  revenge  that  seems  to  breathe  out  in  others  of 
the  Psalms.  We  must  not  forget  in  any  of  them  that  we  are 


xii  INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY. 

in  the  fervid,  impassioned,  and  demonstrative  East,  where  to 
this  day  feeling  of  any  kind  is  scarcely  thought  of  as  genuine, 
unless  it  is  expressed  extravagantly. 

Another  consideration  occurs  to  us,  as  entitled  to  some 
weight.  Those  who  draw  contrasts  between  David's  feelings 
toward  his  enemies  and  their  own  placid  indifference,  un- 
favourable to  the  former,  do  not  consider  that  they  know 
nothing  of  such  enemies  as  he  describes,  —  men  that  were  the 
incarnation  of  treachery,  cruelty,  and  diabolical  malignity, 
who  were  seeking  his  life  like  veritable  wolves  and  hyenas. 
It  might  be  said  that  there  is  no  Gospel  against  the  extermi- 
nation of  wild  beasts,  and  these  were  worse  than  wild  beasts 
in  their  disposition  and  power  to  destroy.  It  is  possible  that 
in  the  presence  of  such  enemies  the  equanimity  and  meekness 
of  the  critics  would  be  disturbed,  and  they  might  so  far  forget 
the  spirit  of  the  Gospel  as  to  long,  and  even  to  pray,  for  the 
destruction  of  men  so  savage  and  ruthless,  not  merely  on 
their  own  account,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  innocent  lives  that 
are  exposed  to  the  deadly  arts  of  the  malignant. 

But  in  all  this  we  leave  out  of  view  the  actual  problem  to  be 
solved,  which  pertains  to  these  Psalms  not  merely  as  expres- 
sions of  individual  feeling,  but  as  embraced  in  an  inspired 
manual  of  worship.  It  is  much  more  distressing.  It  is  only 
those  who  believe  them  to  be  Divinely  inspired  that  are 
seriously  disturbed  by  the  Imprecatory  Psalms.  Others  in- 
dulge in  flippant  and  captious  remark,  reflecting  upon  these 
fierce  words  as  blots  on  the  character  of  one  who  is  claimed 
to  be  a  man  after  God's  own  heart,  or  as  strange  incon- 
sistencies in  the  Bible,  one  part  of  the  book  claimed  to  be 
Divine  totally  contradictory  to  another.  They  enjoy  the 
difficulty  that  Christians  find  in  reconciling  them. 

Such  expressions  of  latent  scepticism  are  most  easily  and 
thoroughly  silenced,  and  our  own  perplexity  soonest  relieved, 
by  stating  the  difficulty  in  its  most  formidable  shape.  It  is  not 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  xiii 

how  a  man,  supposed  to  be  sincerely  religious,  could  deal  in 
these  strong  denunciations.  For  we  find  them  in  a  prayer- 
book  which  we  believe  to  have  been  provided  for  us  by  the  in- 
spiration of  the  God  whom  we  worship.  The  human  penman 
now  ceases  to  be  responsible.  We  are  arraigning  the  great 
Being  who  has  distinctly  defined  in  this  book  what  worship 
will  be  acceptable  to  Him  —  unless  we  are  prepared  on  ac- 
count of  the  unworthiness  of  its  contents  to  abandon  our 
belief  in  its  Divine  origin.  But  we  will  surely  not  do  this 
without  the  fullest  consideration. 

We  then  face  the  paradox,  that  the  God  of  love  has  put 
into  our  lips  words  of  hatred  and  wrath.  Can  we  show  it 
to  be  mere  paradox,  —  an  apparent  contradiction  to  the  ac- 
tual, or  even  possible,  which  is  really  true  and  right  and 
good?  We  find  the  relief  by  going  back  to  our  starting- 
point. 

We  have  already  alleged,  that  in  coming  before  God  as  wor- 
shippers, we  must  confess  our  sins  with  penitent  hearts,  and 
must  ask  for  pardoning  mercy  and  renewing  grace.  This  fur- 
ther point,  also,  we  reached,  and  now  resume :  that  God  has 
the  right  to  insist  that  the  heart  of  the  worshipper  shall  turn 
away  with  loathing  and  hatred  from  the  falsehood,  the  injus- 
tice, and  the  malignity,  that  are  desolating  the  world.  These 
were  not  mild  and  inoffensive  forms  of  evil  that  in  God's  name 
were  denounced,  but  those  most  opposite  to  the  light  and 
love,  the  purity  and  truth,  of  His  own  nature.  One  loyal  to 
God  must  hate  them,  and  must  declare  himself  on  the  Lord's 
side  in  the  great  battle  against  His  person  and  government 
that  was  going  on  in  the  world.  And  this  sin,  so  hated  by 
God,  was  not  an  abstraction,  an  impalpable  something  floating 
in  the  region  of  the  upper  clouds,  but  an  activity  of  deadly 
hate  in  the  hearts  and  lives  of  men.  If  it  were  merely  an 
abstraction,  there  need  have  been  no  Imprecatory  Psalms. 
Then  with  the  utmost  composure  it  might  have  been  con- 


xiv  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

signed  to  oblivion.  Whatever  is  harmless  may  be  hideous, 
but  we  relieve  ourselves  simply  by  looking  in  another  direc- 
tion. But  sin  only  exists  concretely  and  in  sinful  men;  and 
God,  because  he  is  the  ideal  and  absolute  love  and  purity 
and  truth  and  goodness,  must  detest  incarnate  hatred,  treach- 
ery, and  malignity;  and  so  must  we,  if  we  love  Him.  Per- 
haps in  the  earlier  times,  when  men  were  less  practised  in 
abstract,  philosophic  thought  than  they  are  now,  it  was  more 
difficult  to  separate  the  sin  from  the  sinner  than  it  is  for  us. 
This  may  have  produced  a  tendency  to  clothe  abstractions  in 
an  ideally  personal  and  concrete  dress.  For  the  strong  lan- 
guage of  these  hard  sentences  does  not  seem  to  reflect  the 
actual  feelings  and  conduct  of  the  composer  against  living 
persons  guilty  of  foul  wrong.  There  is  no  evidence  in  the 
life  of  David,  or  of  any  good  man  of  those  times,  that  he  was 
really  malignant  and  revengeful.  Rather  the  contrary.  But 
the  language  of  poetry  is  not  that  of  philosophic  thought.  It 
does  not  deal  in  abstractions,  but  in  vivid  representations  ol 
human  life  as  it  is,  and  from  this  personality  is  inseparable. 

Unquestionably  most  of  these  Psalms  have  their  historic 
background  in  the  conflicts  and  trials  of  the  individual  com- 
poser. But  we  have  taken  pains  in  some  of  the  following 
notes  (see  on  vii.  6,  and  ix.  1,2)  to  show  briefly  that  in  adapt- 
ing them  to  a  higher  and  broader  use  by  the  assembly  of 
God's  people  in  their  worship,  the  very  license  that  distin- 
guishes poetry  from  prose  serves  an  admirable  purpose.  His- 
tory is  idealized.  The  individuals  lose  their  own  personality, 
and  come  to  represent  classes  of  men.  Whatever  personal 
hostility  to  leaders  in  persecution  and  injury  may  once  have 
stirred  in  the  heart  of  the  poet,  perhaps  years  ago,  when  great 
wrong  was  committed,  now  disappears  in  his  higher  thought. 
The  identification  with  actual  living  persons  he  had  once 
known  as  enemies,  fades  away,  and  the  hostile  feeling  so 
strongly  declared  is  only  a  more  vivid  and  graphic  expression 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  xv 

of  hatred  to  sin,  as  then  and  thereafter  existent,  rampant, 
defiant,  triumphing  over  everything  holy  and  good,  and  there- 
fore accursed  forever.  Why,  the  man  described  and  held  up 
to  detestation  in  Ps.  cix.  has  become  already  a  fiend,  before 
descending  into  the  pit,  and  is  not  one  for  whom  a  claim  upon 
our  charity  and  forbearance  could  be  asserted,  if  he  were 
now  upon  the  earth.  This  fierceness  of  denunciation  has  its 
reason :  — 

1 6.  "  Because  he  forgat  to  show  kindness ; 

But  the  suffering  and  needy,  and  broken  in  heart, 
He  pursued  unto  death. 

17.  The  cursing  he  loved,  it  alighted  upon  him  ; 
Since  from  blessing  he  gathered  no  pleasure, 

It  removed  far  away  from  himself. 

18.  He  clothed  him  with  cursing  as  a  robe, 
And  it  entered  his  substance  like  water, 

And  like  oil  it  coursed  in  his  bones. 

19.  Let  it  be  like  the  coat  he  puts  on, 

Like  the  belt  which  he  ever  girds  about  him. 

20.  This  is  the  wage  of  my  foes  from  Jehovah, 
Of  those  that  plan  harm  to  my  life." 

There  may  have  been  first  in  the  poet's  mind  the  counte- 
nances, called  up  from  his  earlier  life,  of  those  who  had  long 
before  gone  to  their  reward ;  and,  so  far  as  it  related  to  them, 
the  form  of  imprecation  is  only  a  graphic  way  of  stating  his- 
toric fact.  The  face  before  him  may  have  been  that  of  the 
crafty  and  malignant  Ahithophel,  responsible  directly  and  in- 
directly for  unnumbered  lives,  including  that  of  Absalom,  his 
father's  idol ;  or,  as  in  Ps.  Hi.,  that  of  Doeg  the  Edomite,  the 
dastardly  spy  and  informer,  who  occasioned  the  slaughter  of 
eighty-five  priests,  with  their  families.  But  presently  these 
features  from  the  past  fade  away,  and  are  replaced  by  the 
black  face  of  Judas,  "  the  son  of  perdition,"  with  whose  base- 
ness this  picture  is  connected  in  the  New  Testament,  and  to 
whom  all  thoughts  turn  as  the  ideal  incarnation  of  evil.  See 
John  xvii.  12,  and  Acts  i.  20. 


xvi  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

This  prepares  us,  with  reference  to  some  of  these  Psalms, 
to  take  higher  ground.  We  note  here  a  loftier  than  poetic 
inspiration.  The  pen,  and  harp,  and  voice  that  swept  on  in 
these  stirring  measures,  were  those  of  a  prophet.  What  stands 
before  his  illuminated  vision  is  not  a  personified  principle, 
incarnations  wrought  by  poetic  fancy,  to  be  dissipated  pres- 
ently into  thin  air.  They  are  indeed  persons,  yet  not  as 
known  individuals  of  our  race,  each  standing  for  himself, 
against  whom  for  personal  wrong  his  darker  human  passions 
are  roused,  —  but  impersonations,  standing  for  men  always 
and  everywhere,  who  crush  innocent  lives  under  their  iron 
heel,  who  know  neither  pity  nor  kindness,  justice  nor  truth, 
but  with  determined  will  identify  themselves  with  evil  of  devil- 
ish stamp,  hating  men  and  defying  God.  It  is  no  base  human 
passion,  but  impassioned  prophecy,  in  the  name  of  Him  to 
whom  vengeance  belongs,  that  calls  down  upon  them  a  doom 
from  which,  if  they  repent  not,  there  is  no  escape.  And  with 
whatever  sadness,  yet  with  firmness  unflinching;  let  all  people 
that  are  loyal  to  God  pronounce  their  Amen ! 

A  crucial  instance  of  the  relief  afforded  by  the  prophetic 
character  of  Psalms  of  this  severe  type  is  found  in  the  closing 
verses  of  Ps.  cxxxvii. :  — 

7.  "  Remember,  Jehovah,  to  the  children  of  Edom 

The  day  at  Jerusalem, 
When  they  cried,  Lay  it  bare,  lay  it  bare, 
Even  down  to  its  base. 

8.  O  daughter  of  Babylon,  doomed  to  destruction, 
Blest  is  he  that  requites  thee, 

That  does  unto  thee  as  thou  didst  unto  us; 

9.  Blest  is  he  that  shall  seize  and  dash  down 

Thy  babes  on  a  rock." 

This  may  be  thought  of  as  poetic  justice,  not  to  be  pressed 
too  closely  as  fact.  The  precise  act  described  is  intensely 
realistic,  yet  not  too  shocking  for  Oriental  taste,  nor  for  high- 
wrought  tragic  poetry  in  any  age.  The  slaughter  of  babes 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  xvii 

in  the  most  brutal  manner  is  not  the  most  horrid  of  the  bar- 
barities practised  by  conquering  armies  when  cities  with  their 
innocent  inhabitants  are  given  up  to  their  wanton  fury.  In 
this  case  the  historic  background  is  twofold :  an  earlier,  in 
the  barbarity  of  the  Chaldean  invaders  of  Judea,  seventy 
years  before,  of  which  we  have  here  a  single  representative 
fact;  a  later,  in  the  retribution  inflicted  at  the  capture  of 
Babylon  by  the  Persian  army,  within  a  few  years.  It  points 
to  Cyrus,  who  was  raised  up  as  the  avenger  of  the  sufferings 
of  God's  people  during  their  long  and  merciless  bondage. 
An  old  Israelite,  just  returned  from  the  exile,  is  gazing  with 
a  tortured  heart  on  the  ruins  of  the  holy  city  and  temple,  and 
the  terrible  past  comes  up  freshly  before  him,  as  if  actually 
witnessing  the  savage  act  he  describes.  From  this  assumed 
standpoint  he  speaks  as  a  prophet  of  God,  declaring  of  the 
ruthless  invader,  that  as  he  has  sown  even  so  also  he  shall 
reap.  But  what  is  thus  ideally  exhibited  for  the  sake  of  higher 
poetic  effect  has  already  become  historic  fact.  The  judgment 
has  fallen,  and  the  man  who  is  felicitated  as  having  redressed 
the  ancient  wrong  is  the  king  of  the  Medes  and  Persians, 
brought  forward  in  the  far-seeing  providence  of  God  for  this 
express  purpose.  As  the  representative  of  the  King  of  kings, 
in  accomplishing  a  great  deliverance,  he  has  inflicted  punish- 
ment in  kind  upon  the  desolators  of  Zion,  so  that  all  the 
earth  may  stand  in  awe  of  Him  that  lives  and  reigns  forever. 
A  repulsiveness  remains ;  but  it  is  the  repulsiveness  of  fact, 
in  a  world  that  is  full  of  such  horrid  facts,  which  we  must 
make  the  best  of,  till  the  earth  is  delivered  from  its  curse. 
It  could  not  have  been  omitted  from  a  faithful  picture  of  the 
wrongs  of  Jerusalem  and  their  reparation. 

In  this  place  alone  the  English  Bible  translates  'ashre,  happy, 
as  of  personal  enjoyment,  a  meaning  it  never  has.  See  note  on 
Ps.  ii.  i.  It  expresses  here  emphatic  approval  of  Divinely 
ordered  retribution.  It  would  apply  to  a  tender-hearted 


xviii  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

judge,  as  once   seen  by  the  writer,  with  streaming  eyes  pro- 
nouncing the  death  penalty  on  one  guilty  of  brutal  murder. 

The  only  questions  that  remain  with  reference  to  the  Impre- 
catory Psalms  are  such  as  these:  What  are  they  to  us?  Can 
we  use  them  in  our  worship  without  being  faithless  to  the 
Divine  spirit  of  love  that  irradiates  the  Gospel  and  is  some- 
time to  irradiate  the  world?  Am  I  to  unite  with  the  great 
congregation  in  uttering  these  terrible  sentences,  and  what 
is  their  meaning  as  issuing  from  my  lips?  Surely  we  are  to 
use  them ;  but  whatever  else  they  mean  for  us,  they  cannot 
mean  that  we  are  thus  to  express  our  hatred  to  the  enemies 
of  David,  or  of  some  unknown  writer  of  sacred  song,  and  to 
unite  with  him  in  praying  for  their  extermination.  He  and 
they  have  passed  from  the  earth  long  ago,  and  everything 
that  relates  to  them  is  irreversibly  settled.  They  exist  here 
only  in  the  images  they  suggest  to  the  thoughts  of  men  as 
shades  of  the  past.  Nor  does  our  use  of  them  mean  that 
we  are  thus  to  denounce  our  own  enemies.  We  have  no  such 
enemies  as  these,  and  they  are  never  to  be  classed  with  the 
facts  of  our  personal  life.  They  stand  before  us  as  vivid  rep- 
resentations of  the  hostility  to  God  that  is  the  black  curse 
of  the  world,  and  which  we,  as  born  of  God,  must  hate  and 
denounce  forever.  The  more  I  love  God,  and  love  my  fellow- 
men  in  their  actual  personality,  each  and  all,  the  more  heartily 
and  bitterly  I  shall  detest  and  curse  the  principle  of  evil,  incar- 
nate or  unincarnate,  that,  if  it  could,  would  blot  out  the  light 
of  the  world,  and  leave  us  all  in  the  blackness  of  darkness 
forever.  This  is  the  solution  of  our  paradox.  Love,  because 
it  is  love,  must  hate  hate.  And  God,  because  He  is  love, 
hates  it.  And  we,  if  we  have  the  love  of  God  and  man  in  our 
hearts,  always  and  everywhere  must  hate  it. 

Closely  connected  with  all  that  relates  to  sin,  are  man's 
appeals  to  God  for  sympathy  and  relief  under  suffering.  This 
also  is  a  universal  experience,  and  one  in  which  Divine -aid 


INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY.  xix 

is  indispensable.  Our  worship  recognizes  God  as  gracious 
and  full  of  compassion,  and  looks  confidently  to  His  great 
heart  as  directing  His  infinite  power.  How  many  Psalms 
besides  the  one  hundred  and  thirtieth  are  De  profundis, 
and  how  many  that  have  misery  as  their  key-note  lie  out- 
side the  few  that  are  called  "Penitential"!  And  these  have 
touched  a  responsive  chord  in  hearts  wrung  with  anguish 
ever  since  they  were  written.  We  have  alluded  to  them  as 
abounding  in  hyperbole.  To  express  our  meaning  more  pre- 
cisely, for  our  worship  they  describe  not  more  than  the  literal 
fact,  but  other  than  the  literal  fact.  They  substitute  the  exter- 
nal for  the  internal,  and  so  there  is  an  underlying  truthfulness. 
In  actual  use  their  most  exaggerated  expressions  are  hardly 
thought  of  as  exaggerations  needing  apology.  Like  other 
hyperbole  in  Scripture  they  have  their  ground  in  the  impossi- 
bility of  describing  in  words  the  agonies  of  a  tortured  spirit. 
The  nearest  approach  to  truth  that  language  can  attain  is  found 
in  the  natural  expression  of  extreme  physical  suffering,  and  so 
they  deal  in  groans  and  tears,  in  wasting  and  faintness,  in  loud 
outcries  and  heart-rending  complaints,  which  are  understood 
to  be  figures  of  a  wretchedness  that  none  but  God  can  know. 

Some  of  these  Psalms  of  the  suffering  have  special  interest 
and  sacredness  in  their  connection  with  the  agonies  of  the 
great  Sufferer  who  gave  His  life  for  the  world.  These  too  in 
their  inception  are  founded  upon  the  sufferings  of  the  com- 
poser, but  almost  immediately  he  is  carried  away  from  them 
into  the  presence  of  woes  such  as  he  never  experienced,  and 
yet  with  which  his  personal  being  seems  to  be  mysteriously 
blended.  He  becomes  a  typical  representative,  and  so  con- 
tinues to  speak  of  himself,  and  yet  really  of  another  identified 
with  himself  by  prophetic  laws.  These  descriptions  are  some- 
times thought  of  as  hyperbolical,  and  they  come  within  the 
limits  of  what  we  have  remarked  on  that  subject.  It  may  be 
said  that  the  inspiring  spirit  of  prophecy  carries  the  poet  into 


xx  INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY. 

what,  as  relates  to  himself,  and  perhaps  in  his  own  conscious- 
ness, is  merely  poetical  exaggeration,  but  is  intended  by  the 
-higher  power  that  masters  and  sways  his  spirit  to  portray  the 
sufferings  of  One  who  by  and  by,  using  as  His  own  language 
borrowed  from  one  of  the  most  wonderful  of  these  Psalms, 
shall  cry  from  the  cross  of  agony  and  shame,  "  My  God,  my 
God,  why  hast  Thou  forsaken  me  ?  "  It  may  be  that  in  this 
Psalm  the  poet  intended  to  describe  an  ideal  sufferer,  typical 
for  all  anguish  and  for  all  time,  but  he  evidently  finds  his 
starting-point  in  the  persecutions  of  the  malignant  in  his  per- 
sonal life.  Yet  the  sufferings  of  Christ  are  inseparably  bound 
up  with  those  of  His  people,  or  rather,  theirs  with  His.  Those 
who  preceded  His  own  life  on  the  earth  prefigure  Him  that 
suffered  for  us  all,  and  they  that  come  after  "  fill  up  what 
was  lacking  of  the  afflictions  of  Christ"  So  all  may  find 
comfort  in  the  language  of  these  sublime  waitings  of  a  deeper 
than  mortal  woe,  as  including  every  throe  of  anguish  they  ever 
endured. 

We  cannot  dwell  on  all  that  the  Psalms  contain :  their  fervent 
expressions  of  gratitude  for  God's  saving  mercy,  of  desire  after 
God,  of  delight  in  Him,  of  unfailing  confidence  and  hope  under 
every  apprehension  of  danger,  and  even  in  death  itself.  These 
all  belong  legitimately  to  Old  Testament  times.  Surely  they 
are  not  less  suitable  now. 

Yet  Judaism  is  not  Christianity.  Since  the  latest  of  these 
Psalms  were  written  a  richer  grace  has  enveloped  the  world, 
and  their  utmost  bound  is  too  narrow  for  us.  For  worship, 
in  order  to  be  adequate  to  its  conditions  and  purpose,  must 
adapt  itself  to  all  new  occurrences  that  materially  affect  man's 
relations  with  God.  From  the  time  of  the  sacrifice  and  as- 
cension of  our  Lord,  prayer  has  assumed  a  new  character, 
joyfully  recognizing  these  transcendent  facts  in  all  their  sig- 
nificance. In  the  earlier  time,  His  coming  and  kingdom  were 
only  seen  in  the  dim  vision  of  prophecy.  But  since  then, 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  xxi 

His  dying  love  is  ever  remembered,  and  His  name  ever 
urged  before  God,  as  the  only  ground  of  acceptance  and 
blessing.  A  distinctively  Christian  office  of  prayer  has  a 
language  of  its  own,  rich,  varied,  and  gracious.  It  could 
have  no  existence  till  the  Son  of  God  was  revealed  from 
heaven  to  give  life  to  the  dead.  But  all  this  is  not  a  sub- 
stitution, but  simply  an  addition.  Our  primary  relations  with 
God  are  unchanged.  We  retain  all  that  is  permanent  in  the 
older  worship,  and  enjoy  it  the  more  because  its  acceptance  is 
secured  through  the  grace  of  our  glorified  Redeemer;  and  we 
gratefully  add  to  it  the  later,  as  bringing  us  still  nearer  to 
God,  and  giving  us  fresh  hope  in  His  mercy. 

It  must  yet  be  observed,  that  intercession  in  behalf  of  the 
evil-minded  scarcely  appears  in  the  Psalms.  When  the  Cruci- 
fied was  enthroned,  He  immediately  organized  a  "  ministration 
of  the  Spirit,"  and  set  in  operation  the  mighty  agencies  that 
by  individual  regeneration  shall  bring  all  nations  into  living 
fellowship  with  God.  Our  prophetic  Psalms  give  charming 
glimpses  of  this  in  a  far  distant  future ;  see  notably  Ps.  Ixxxvii. 
But  they  disclose  no  grace  as  then  present,  and  available  in 
answer  to  prayer,  by  which  the  savage  natures  that  were 
regarded  with  horror  might  be  transformed,  and  wolves  be- 
come lambs.  It  is  our  rejoicing  that  for  us  this  lacking 
element  is  abundantly  supplied. 

It  was  intimated  at  the  beginning  that  a  consideration  of  the 
form  and  character  of  the  Psalms  should  not  be  omitted.  We 
can  notice  only  one  or  two  of  the  more  obvious  points. 

It  has  been  incidentally  stated  that  they  are  poetical,  and 
that  their  main  purpose  is  not  instruction.  The  meaning  of 
"  poetical "  in  that  connection  is  that  the  thought  and  dic- 
tion are  elevated.  Under  the  impulse  of  strong  emotion  the 
imagination  is  set  free,  and  the  result  must  not  be  measured 
by  prosaic  rules.  To  this  should  be  added  that  they  are 
poetical  in  form,  and  intended  for  musical  accompaniment. 


xxii  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

David  was  a  poet,  not  only  lofty  in  thought,  and  able  to  stir 
the  hearts  of  men  by  the  beauty,  the  grandeur,  or  the  tender 
pathos  of  his  conceptions,  but  of  no  mean  skill  in  constructing 
verse  with  due  regard  to  the  charm  of  song,  and  the  most 
effective  instrumental  rendering.  He  was  probably  a  magnifi- 
cent harpist,  and  could  lead  an  orchestra.  All  this  was  made 
subservient,  by  Him  who  created  us  with  a  susceptibility  to  be 
powerfully  wrought  upon  by  such  means,  to  the  principal  pur- 
pose of  the  Psalms,  which  are  not  addressed  to  the  intellect  so 
much  as  to  the  emotional  nature.  The  combined  force  of 
music  and  poetry  is  here  employed  to  arouse  man's  sluggish 
nature  in  response  to  the  tender  appeals  which  the  God  of  all 
grace,  in  deeds  more  than  in  words,  is  ever  making  to  his 
heart.  If  this  be  so,  how  can  we  separate  the  inspiration  of 
the  Psalmist  from  the  external  form  of  his  productions,  in- 
cluding their  adaptation  to  such  audible  enhancement  as  shall 
charm  and  soothe  the  hearts  of  men,  and  incline  them  to  all 
gracious  desires,  purposes,  and  hopes,  lifting  them  ever  nearer 
to  the  centre  of  light  and  truth  and  love. 

This  result  of  inspiration  cannot  be  literally  transferred  to 
another  language.  But  it  follows  by  necessary  consequence 
that  there  can  be  no  adequate  rendering  of  the  Psalms  for  the 
worship  of  God  that  does  not  aim  at  similar  effects  by  similar 
methods.  Their  whole  value  for  instruction  may  be  enjoyed, 
and  not  without  some  deep  effects  in  spiritual  life,  if  they  are 
translated  into  prose,  to  be  quietly  read.  But  the  Divine  pur- 
pose in  providing  them  in  this  form  would  fail,  were  they  not 
supplemented  by  the  spiritual  songs,  only  less  directly  inspired, 
that  have  since  enriched  the  worship  of  the  Church. 

One  consideration  more  seems  worthy  of  mention  that  may 
not  have  appeared  in  anything  that  has  been  written  upon  the 
subject  of  Hebrew  psalmody.  It  relates  to  the  combination 
of  words  with  musical  expression,  as  requiring  the  strictest 
adjustment  of  one  to  the  other.  The  more  intense  and  im- 


INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY.  xxiii 

passioned  of  these  songs  are  not  to  be  judged  as  if  intended 
to  be  read  in  soft,  melodious  voice  in  the  contracted  inner 
chamber  with  its  shut  door,  or  in  the  somewhat  broader,  yet 
narrow,  family  and  social  circles,  or  even  for  the  subdued  and 
solemn  utterances,  alternately  by  minister  and  people,  to  which 
we  are  accustomed  in  our  modern  worship  of  the  sanctuary. 
Some  of  the  Psalms,  in  their  subject  and  their  manifestly  gentle 
intonation,  remind  us  of  the  soft  purling  of  the  brook,  or  the 
sweet  lay  of  the  nightingale.  They  suggest  the  nablum  and 
cithern,  the  softest  and  sweetest  stringed  instruments  with 
which  the  solitary  worshipper  might  accompany  the  flow  from 
his  heart  before  God.  But  some  of  them  were  composed  and 
inwrought  with  suitable  musical  expression  for  the  spacious 
courts  of  the  temple,  or  for  the  open  air.  The  elaborate  culti- 
vation of  the  art  of  music  among  the  Hebrews  should  be  re- 
membered, and  especially  in  connection  with  Divine  worship. 
Large  bands  of  the  Levites  were  detailed  for  the  service  of 
song.  Singers  and  players  upon  instruments  were  there  in 
thousands,  who  devoted  their  lives  to  it.  Besides  the  lute  and 
the  harp,  or  their  nearest  ancient  equivalents,  there  was  every 
instrumental  device  that  genius  could  create,  that  could  give 
loud  and  strong  expression  to  strong  feeling.  The  cry  went 
forth  to  Israel  in  Ps.  cl.,  the  doxology  of  the  whole  Book :  — 

3.  "  Praise  Him  with  blasts  of  the  trumpet, 
Praise  Him  with  the  lute  and  the  harp ; 

4.  Praise  Him  with  timbrel  and  dance, 
Praise  Him  on  strings  and  the  pipe ; 

5.  Praise  Him  with  clear-sounding  cymbals, 
Praise  Him  with  cymbals  loud  clashing." 

Yet  not  only  in  praise,  but  in  every  deep  and  intense  emo- 
tion common  to  them  all,  while  their  hearts  are  throbbing 
before  God  as  the  heart  of  one  man,  there  must  be  vehement 
expression.  Not  only  must  joy  have  its  glad  tumult,  but  fear 
its  shriek,  and  agony  its  loud  wail.  Music,  considered  merely 


xxiv  INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY. 

as  sound  addressed  to  the  ear,  must  do  its  part,  —  producing 
vibrations  upon  the  heart-strings  of  men,  recalling  them  from 
their  worldliness,  rousing  them  from  their  torpor,  and  engag- 
ing them  in  the  high  service  of  God ;  and  it  must  be  allowed 
to  produce  its  most  intense  effects  by  means  best  adapted  to 
its  principles  and  nature.  To  such  music,  language  that  is 
not  impassioned,  and  .that  does  not  at  times  exhibit  even 
violent  emotion,  would  be  altogether  inappropriate.  Witness 
the  exaggerated  expression  in  words  and  gesture  in  the  dra- 
matic accompaniment  adapted  to  that  modern  masterpiece 
of  musical  genius,  —  the  Italian  opera.  Such  accompani- 
ment, apart  from  the  music,  seems  strained  and  grotesque; 
but  with  it,  is  felt  to  be  suitable,  and  even  indispensable  to  the 
finest  impression.  May  it  not  be  allowed  that  this  is  true  in 
a  measure  of  the  Psalms?  It  accounts  in  some  degree  for 
expressions  of  suffering  more  intense  than  the  known  circum- 
stances account  for,  but  which  utter  only  to©  feebly  the  secret 
sorrows  of  the  heart  before  God. 

We  approach  now  the  second  principal  question  proposed 
at  the  outset :  How  was  this  Book  of  Psalms  produced  ? 

The  key  to  the  answer  has  already  been  furnished  in  the 
reference  that  has  been  made  to  their  connection  with  the 
facts  of  individual  life,  whether  of  David  or  some  later  mas- 
ters of  sacred  song.  The  royal  poet,  who  calls  himself  in  his 
last  words  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  i)  "the  anointed  of  the  God  of 
Jacob,  and  the  sweet  psalmist  of  Israel,"  is  the  representative 
singer  of  the  Old  Testament.  Others  after  him  sang  in  like 
strains,  after  similar  experience,  and  by  inspiration  of  the  same 
Divine  Spirit;  but  he  is  the  leader  and  type  of  them  all. 
There  is  no  good  reason  to  doubt  that  he  produced  the  grand- 
est and  sweetest  of  the  Psalms,  and  probably  the  largest  num- 
ber; and,  further,  that  they  relate  to  the  circumstances  of  his 
own  history.  This  accounts  for  the  tenacity  with  which  those 
who  know  them  hold  them  in  deep  affection,  —  that  they  are 


INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY.  xxv 

genuine,  as  having  originated  in  an  actual  human  life.  What- 
ever imaginative  activity  they  manifest,  they  are  not,  like 
much  of  our  most  charming  poetry,  mere  fiction.  We  do 
not  depreciate  such  poetry,  but  admire  and  enjoy  it  beyond 
measure.  A  true  poet  may  hold  men  rapt  and  spell-bound 
by  the  creations  of  his  own  fancy.  He  moves  them  to  shouts 
of  joy  or  to  tears  on  the  hollow  basis  of  simulated  fact.  Such 
productions  are  sources  of  refined  and  exalted  gratification  in 
ordinary  life.  But  when  we  come  to  face  the  stern  realities 
of  human  existence,  with  its  conflicts  and  its  woes,  we  must 
,  have  truth.  One  who  has  suffered  sore  trouble,  and  found 
help  in  God,  is  the  man  whose  words  are  seized  with  avidity 
by  the  suffering,  and  such  words  are  these  in  the  Psalms. 
They  do  not  work  upon  our  emotional  nature  by  cunning 
counterfeits  of  genuine  feeling.  Their  heroes  are  not  those 
of  the  stage,  exhibiting  before  us  mock  transports  of  grief  and 
of  joy.  They  lay  bare  their  own  bleeding  hearts  ;  they  give 
us  the  outpouring  before  God  of  their  actual  hopes  and  fears, 
their  struggles  and  conflicts,  their  dangers  and  deliverances. 
We  see  how  and  where  they  found  comfort  in  their  sorrow, 
and  hope  in  their  despair,  and  on  this  basis  they  sway  our 
hearts  and  control  our  lives.  In  approaching  the  Majesty  on 
high  we  have  solid  ground  under  our  feet  in  using  words 
which  sinful  men  like  ourselves  have  used,  and  the  Lord  heard 
them,  and  saved  them  from  all  their  fears. 

We  thus  reach  the  very  heart  of  the  inquiry  proposed.  We 
believe  that  the  Psalms  have  come  to  us  by  inspiration  of 
God.  But  this  does  not  reach  the  whole  truth.  Inspiration 
is  very  commonly  thought  of  as  a  Divine  power  working  mys- 
teriously in  the  heart  of  some  selected  man,  and  producing  in 
words  spoken  or  written  immediate  results.  If  this  only  were 
true  of  the  Psalms,  if  they  came  without  human  admixture 
right  out  of  the  mind  and  heart  of  God  in  some  mechani- 
cal way,  the  man  who  wrote  them  would  have  passed  out  of 


xxvi  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

mind,  and  we  should  have  gloried  in  our  Psalms  as  Divine, 
and  doubtless  should  have  found  them  very  helpful  and 
comforting. 

But  God  designed  something  better  for  us,  and  long  prepa- 
ration had  to  be  made.  In  order  that  our  hearts  might  be 
more  surely  and  effectively  reached,  as  they  are  by  the  actual 
in  the  lives  of  men  of  like  passions  with  ourselves,  than  by  the 
purely  ideal,  even  though  Divinely  produced,  the  fountains 
must  be  created  out  of  which  the  healing  streams  shall  flow. 
This  at  once  carries  us  very  far  back  of  the  time  when  the 
Psalms  were  composed,  and  of  everything  usually  in  our 
minds  when  we  speak  of  inspiration.  The  story  of  the  Psalms 
in  their  inception  is  somewhat  like  that  of  the  Gospels. 

It  is  comparatively  recent  in  Biblical  thought  that  the  four- 
fold Gospel,  on  which  we  depend  for  our  portraiture  of  the 
earthly  life  of  our  Saviour,  was  produced  by  men  whose  whole 
previous  life  had  been  Divinely  ordered  for  this  special  pur- 
pose, and  that  these  were  brought  into  continued  personal 
contact  with  our  blessed  Lord,  that  each  might  give  us  in  a 
simple,  truthful  way  the  impression  that  had  been  made  upon 
himself  in  the  use  of  his  own  faculties.  It  was  necessary  that 
these  witnesses  should  be  typical  men,  who  would  fairly  repre- 
sent great  classes  of  mankind  to  whom  their  story  must  be 
told.  We  cannot  doubt  that  the  individual  traits  of  these  men 
had  been  regarded,  and  their  circumstances  and  surroundings 
arranged  from  their  birth,  so  that  each  artless  narrative  should 
have  the  stamp  of  individuality  and  genuineness,  and  that  in 
their  combination  the  picture  should  be  round  and  full,  vivid 
and  lifelike,  and  that  the  hearts  of  men  might  be  seized  by  the 
conviction:  This  man  actually  lived  upon  the  earth  as  here 
described,  and  he  is  the  Son  of  the  living  God. 

We  pass  back  to  David,  the  representative  psalmist  of  the 
Psalter.  There  is  no  record  in  the  Old  Testament  of  the 
Divine  ordering  of  a  life  more  marked  than  we  find  here. 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  xxvii 

The  prophet  Samuel  was  sent  to  the  house  of  Jesse  to  anoint, 
for  the  throne  of  Israel,  the  youngest  of  his  sons,  —  the  one 
his  own  father  thought  least  eligible  for  high  position.  But 
we  cannot  believe  that  the  Divine  ordering  began  then.  Al- 
ready he  had  rich  endowments  for  the  future  he  was  to  attain. 
Not  only  were  there  excellencies  of  character,  Divinely 
imparted,  to  be  trained  and  developed  as  God  best  knows 
how,  but  he  must  have  been  a  born  poet.  While  his  medita- 
tive and  devout  nature  first  responded  to  the  claims  of  God 
during  his  shepherd  life,  it  was  then  that  his  fledgling  efforts 
at  song  were  put  forth.  But  in  order  that  he  might  voice 
in  poetic  strains  the  most  profound  emotions  of  sinners  and 
sufferers  before  God,  he  must  become  a  pupil  in  their  hard 
school,  and  not  one  stroke  of  the  rod  must  be  spared. 

We  are  prepared  now  to  fit  what  we  have  gotten  into  its 
place,  and  to  speak  emphatically.  It  was  the  gracious  thought 
of  God  to  provide  for  His  people  a  book  of  worship  which 
should  cultivate  their  personal  association  with  Himself,  and 
thus  lift  them  out  of  sin  and  misery,  and  one  that  should  abide 
through  all  time,  more  clearly  understood,  and  more  highly 
prized  with  the  advance  of  years.  In  order  to  accomplish  this 
He  first  produced  the  men,  appointed  their  circumstances  of 
temptation  and  suffering,  accompanied  by  such  timely  mani- 
festations of  His  grace  as  should  enable  them  to  write  Psalms 
that  would  stir  the  hearts  of  men  to  their  depths,  —  Psalms  on 
the  face  of  which  genuineness  should  be  inerasably  stamped. 
David,  the  father  of  all  who  cultivated  sacred  song  in  Israel, 
He  brought  up  from  the  pastures  and  sheepfolds,  to  wear  a 
crown  indeed,  foreshadowing  the  Messiah,  but  to  find  no 
comfort  nor  rest  until  he  had  been  hunted  like  a  wild  beast 
through  deserts  and  mountains,  not  until  he  had  passed 
through  a  furnace  seven  times  heated  in  the  treachery  of 
his  friends  and  the  malignity  of  his  enemies,  not  until  his 
own  son,  his  pride  and  his  joy,  had  basely  turned  against  him, 


xxviii  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

and  had  driven  him  from  his  home  and  from  the  altars  of 
God,  not  until  his  heart  had  been  wrung  by  the  untimely 
and  violent  death  of  that  son,  whom  in  all  his  wickedness 
he  had  loved  more  than  his  own  life,  not  until  a  combina- 
tion of  great  powers  had  threatened  to  wipe  him  and  his 
kingdom,  off  the  face  of  the  earth.  David,  the  author  of  a 
large  number  of  these  Psalms,  so  suffered  that  he  might  pro- 
duce for  the  world  this  truly  Divine  book. 

But  there  is  a  darker  record  in  the  life  of  the  chief  psalmist 
than  that  of  suffering,  and  even  more  important  to  us.  The 
man  who  shall  furnish  prayer  of  the  right  tone  and  quality  for 
us  must  have  sinned  grievously  against  his  neighbour,  and 
even  more  against  God.  It  has  been  a  standing  mystery  and 
marvel  how  a  man  like  David  could  commit  such  foul  wicked- 
ness, or,  in  a  harder  form,  how  one  guilty  of  such  sin  could 
be  so  near  to  God.  We  have  our  solution  now.  We  must 
have  prayers  that  shall  give  voice  to  agonies  deeper  and  more 
terrible  than  those  produced  from  without,  by  the  pressure  of 
other  men's  sins.  We  must  have  the  outcries  of  remorse,  of 
shame,  of  penitence  most  profound,  of  a  broken  heart  and  a 
contrite  spirit.  We  must  have  supplications  for  purity  and 
pardon,  for  all  that  it  might  seem  the  hardest  for  a  holy  and 
a  just  God  to  give.  We  must  learn,  too,  that  the  contrition 
has  prevailed,  that  the  prayer  has  been  granted,  and  that 
peace  is  restored  where  all  was  uproar  and  confusion.  We 
must  have  a  fifty-first  Psalm,  put  always  within  reach  for  time 
of  need.  For  this  is  not  the  last  man  upon  the  earth  that 
shall  come  thus  before  God.  At  what  time  have  there  not 
been  many  such  as  he,  whose  wretchedness  might  have  been 
voiceless  and  despairing  without  such  a  prayer  as  this  ?  Not 
so  marvellous  is  the  inspiration  that  enabled  him,  this  royal 
poet,  long  after  he  had  sinned  and  received  pardon,  to  repro- 
duce truly  and  in  suitable  accents  his  pleadings  before  God, 
as  the  far-seeing  wisdom  and  grace  that  had  brought  him 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  xxix 

up  into  a  position  of  great  temptation  to  indulge  every  evil 
passion  of  his  nature,  in  the  almost  irresponsible  power  of 
royalty,  and  had  then  withheld  the  grace  that  up  to  that  time 
had  strengthened  his  heart  in  honour,  and  purity,  and  truth. 
How  poorly  furnished  for  us  miserable  sinners,  our  Book  of 
Prayer  would  have  been  without  the  Penitential  Psalms ! 

The  Psalms  were  produced  separately,  but  it  was  no  acci- 
dent that  brought  them  together  as  here.  We  might  almost 
say  that  it  was  a  matter  of  natural  attraction  and  cohesion. 
They  could  not  be  kept  apart.  But  not  less  naturally,  nor 
less  surely,  than  if  there  were  some  occult  law  drawing  to- 
gether things  that  are  in  affinity,  men  of  devout  minds,  recog- 
nizing their  common  suitableness  for  helping  the  utterance 
of  sinful  men  when  bowing  in  worship  before  God,  without 
miracle,  yet  Divinely  illuminated,  have  given  us  this  Psalter. 

It  only  remains  to  say  something  concerning  the  following 
version  and  its  appendages.  The  thought  of  an  independent 
translation  of  the  Psalms  had  its  beginning  in  connection 
with  the  Anglo-American  revision  of  the  Old  Testament.  In 
that  revision  conservatism  and  compromise  were  character- 
istic features  and  controlling  principles.  The  revisers  were 
bound  by  the  rules  they  had  heartily  and  wisely  adopted,  to 
respect  the  attachment  of  English-speaking  people  to  the 
Authorized  Version,  and  to  confine  themselves  to  the  most 
necessary  changes.  This  was  adhered  to  most  rigidly  in  the 
more  familiar  portions  of  Scripture,  and  most  of  all  in  the 
Psalms.  It  constituted  the  most  delicate  and  difficult  part  of 
their  work.  They  were  continually  reminded  that  they  were 
merely  revisers,  and  not  independent  translators,  and  often 
felt  obliged  to  put  aside  manifest  improvement,  in  favour  of 
the  more  ancient  and  familiar  rendering  that  had  the  ground. 
They  were  unanimous  in  acting  on  this  principle,  although 
they  might  occasionally  differ  about  details. 

Yet  they  knew  very  well  how  often  by  a  delicate  touch  here 


xxx  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

and  there,  a  Psalm  may  be  illuminated,  and  its  beauty,  as  well 
as  its  clearness  and  power,  immeasurably  enhanced.  The  ef- 
fect may  be  produced  by  bringing  out  an  emphatic  pronoun, 
by  the  change  of  a  connective  particle,  by  the  closer  observa- 
tion of  a  misconceived  tense,  by  the  transposition  of  words 
into  the  Hebrew  order  for  the  recovery  of  lost  emphasis,  or 
by  other  like  changes  -not  affecting  the  substance  of  the 
Psalm.  Singly  they  may  seem  of  little  consequence,  but 
unitedly  they  often  produce  a  wonderful  transformation. 

It  was  this  that  induced  the  attempt  to  translate  the  Psalms 
into  language  that  should  exhibit  the  thought  of  the  original 
more  faithfully,  and  yet  more  poetically ;  and  those  associated 
with  the  author  in  Bible  revision  in  Great  Britain,  and  at  home, 
have  manifested  their  kindly  interest  and  hearty  approval. 
Some  of  our  English  Psalms  are  nearly  faultless,  while  others 
fail  in  bringing  out  the  spirit  and  rhythm  of  the  old  Hebrew 
bards,  or  are  even  prosaic,  awkward  in  expression,  and  ob- 
scure. Why  should  not  individual  scholarship  and  taste  be 
laid  under  contribution  to  perform  for  David  and  other  mas- 
ters of  Hebrew  song  what  so  many  gifted  minds  have  done 
for  the  poetry  of  Homer?  Many  such  translations  might  be 
made  for  private  use,  or  in  the  interest  of  Bible  study,  with 
the  greatest  benefit.  It  is  easy  to  distinguish  between  their 
use  in  public  worship,  where  our  grand  old  English  Psalter, 
with  comparatively  little  change,  must  hold  its  ground,  and 
the  less  sacred  use  to  which  we  now  refer. 

The  first  result  of  the  author's  efforts  in  this  direction  was 
published  in  1884  under  the  title,  "The  Praise  Songs  of  Israel," 
and  a  second  revised  edition  in  1889.  The  promise  was  made 
with  the  former,  and  repeated  with  the  latter,  that  when  it 
should  be  practicable,  explanatory  notes  would  be  given,  hav- 
ing in  view  a  further  edition  to  which  they  might  be  attached. 
The  promise  of  notes  is  herewith  fulfilled,  but  the  text  has 
been  so  thoroughly  rewrought  that  it  may  fairly  be  called  a 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  xxxi 

new  translation.  The  kindly  and  generous  comments  upon 
the  work  in  its  first  form  produced  no  blindness  to  its  imper- 
fections. On  the  contrary,  they  occasioned  a  more  severe 
scrutiny,  in  which  every  word  was  challenged  anew,  and  the 
structure  of  every  sentence  and  phrase  carefully  pondered. 

Those  who  know  how  difficult  it  is  to  translate  Hebrew 
poetry  into  a  language  so  different  in  its  idioms  as  the  Eng- 
lish, and  at  the  same  time  preserve  something  of  the  poetic 
aspect,  cadence,  and  flow  of  the  original,  will  not  wonder  that 
this  jealous  re-examination  suggested  improvement.  They  will 
understand  that  one  coming  back  to  such  work  after  a  con- 
siderable interval,  knowing  well  every  difficult  or  doubtful 
point,  remembering  what  renderings  had  been  least  satisfac- 
tory to  himself,  found  many  places  where,  by  the  change  of  a 
word,  line,  or  couplet,  a  blemish  might  be  removed,  or  some 
desirable  effect  produced,  bringing  out  more  distinctly  the 
beauty,  force,  and  impressiveness  of  the  old  inspiration,  that 
had  been  at  the  best  so  imperfectly  rendered.  It  was  thought 
possible,  by  additional  labour,  to  approach  one  degree  nearer 
success  in  the  attempt  to  weave  into  a  fabric  uniform  in  tex- 
ture, colour,  and  all  that  produces  impression  upon  the  mind 
and  heart,  the  various  materials  that  compose  these  translated 
Psalms,  Hebrew  thought  and  English  expression,  renderings 
from  the  Authorized  Version  that  can  never  be  excelled,  and 
fresher  results  that  have  been  reached  by  masters  in  philologi- 
cal and  exegetical  science,  together  with  some  personal  ventures 
where  the  sense  is  admitted  to  be  doubtful. 

In  this  fresh  work  special  attention  has  been  given  to 
rhythmic  effect.  We  cannot  accept  the  views  concerning 
the  structure  and  rhythm  of  Hebrew  verse  which  some  Se- 
mitic scholars  ardently  insist  upon,  claiming  exact  measure- 
ment, —  so  many  lines  to  the  strophe,  and  so  many  syllables 
to  the  line.  We  strongly  object  to  the  temerity  with  which 
this  is  made  the  principle  and  basis  of  a  new  Textual  Criti- 


xxxii  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

cism,  —  making  the  fact  conform  to  the  theory,  and  freely 
omitting  or  inserting  syllables  or  lines  to  bring  the  Massoretic 
text  into  harmony  with  the  artificial  schema  of  the  restora- 
tionist.  See  our  note  at  Psalm  xlv.  6.  But  unquestionably 
this  poetry  has  a  free  swinging  rhythm,  marked  by  the  ac- 
cents, which  has  sometimes  been  compared  to  the  galloping 
of  a  horse.  A  Rabbi  accomplished  in  reading  Hebrew  poetry 
will  exhibit  it  charmingly ;  but  the  literal  reproduction  of  this 
in  English,  syllable  for  syllable,  beat  for  beat,  and  interval 
for  interval,  is  not  possible,  or  if  it  were,  it  would  not  be 
mellifluous  to  ears  educated  to  different  rhythmic  expression. 
The  nearest  approach  to  it  that  could  be  read  with  pleasure 
is  that  of  some  of  the  most  beautiful  lines  in  our  mother 
version,  —  indeed  of  a  very  large  number  with  scarcely  notice- 
able change.  An  instance  occurs  at  the  opening  of  that 
plaintive  melody,  Psalm  cxxxvii. :  — 

"  By  the  rivers  of  Babylon,  there  we  sat  down  ; 
Yea,  we  wept,  remembering  Zion." 

Its  adaptation  to  varied  and  vehement  emotion  on  a  different 
key  may  be  estimated  in  Psalms  Ixviii.,  Ixxiv.,  and  Ixxxix. 
It  comes  nearest  to  the  rhythmic  cadence  of  anapaestic  verse, 
yet  perfectly  free  as  regards  the  comparative  length  of  lines 
and  other  requirements  of  such  verse  in  metre  and  rhyme. 
The  question  had  to  be  practically  solved  whether  these 
features  could  be  dispensed  with  without  a  feeling  of  loss,  as 
if  one  were  reading  prose  rather  than  poetry. 

This  last,  however,  was  not  the  most  important  question 
to  be  encountered.  It  was  whether  one  could  yield  himself 
to  this  rhythmic  current  without  sacrificing  faithfulness  as  a 
translator.  The  attempt  has  been  made,  with  the  most  con- 
scientious determination,  to  exhibit  the  thought  truly,  what- 
ever else  might  have  to  suffer,  and  it  is  hoped  not  without 
some  success.  The  translator  bound  himself  to  this  at  the 


INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY.  xxxiii 

outset,  by  resolving  to  attach  to  his  rendering  the  exegetical 
notes  he  had  largely  prepared  before  his  work  was  recast 
in  the  present  form.  It  is  believed  in  fact  that  in  many  cases 
he  has  come  nearer  to  the  original  than  in  his  first  effort,  as 
that  represented  it  more  nearly  than  the  Authorized  Version, 
and  more  nearly  than  the  conservative  rules  of  the  Bible 
Revision  Company  permitted  them  even  to  attempt.  It  may 
be  added  that  he  could  not  have  abandoned  himself  to  this 
special  verse  movement,  were  it  not  manifestly  the  only  one 
to  which  the  most  literal  translation  from  the  Hebrew  easily 
accommodates  itself.  This  is  shown  conclusively  by  the 
circumstance  already  referred  to,  that  the  early  English  trans- 
lators so  frequently  fell  into  it  unconsciously.  The  lines  in 
the  English  Bible  that  exhibit  it  the  most  distinctly  are  most 
literal  and  exact  as  translations;  and  it  is  worthy  of  men- 
tion that  it  aids  greatly  in  the  intelligent  and  effective  read- 
ing of  the  Psalms,  throwing  the  emphasis  on  the  accented 
syllable  of  each  principal  word  in  a  sentence,  and  leaving  the 
unaccented  particles,  or  other  short  subsidiary  words  or  syl- 
lables, to  fill  up  the  intervals. 

The  grammatical  principles  underlying  this  new  translation 
are  identical  with  those  of  the  former  work  as  exhibited  and 
illustrated  in  the  prefaces  to  the  two  editions.  The  most 
important  of  these  relates  to  the  use  of  the  so-called  Hebrew 
tenses.  They  were  treated  in  the  early  grammars  of  the 
language  as  representing  past  and  future  time.  The  trans- 
lators were  confronted  by  the  fact  that  the  so-called  future 
has  almost  the  entire  ground  in  historic  narrative,  and  the  so- 
called  past  in  prophecy.  They  disposed  of  this  ingeniously 
by  attributing  to  the  connective  "and"  a  mysterious  power 
of  converting  past  into  future,  and  future '  into  past,  calling  it 
"  vav-conversive."  Having  this,  they  did  very  well  till  they 
reached  the  poetical  portions  of  the  Bible,  where  they  were 
helpless.  They  often  found  themselves  compelled,  in  intelli- 


xxxiv  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

gent  disregard  of  their  grammar,  to  translate  either  form  by 
the  present  tense.  But  their  work  exhibits  no  uniformity,  and 
is  often  perplexing.  Modern  Hebrew  scholarship  has  dis- 
cerned that  neither  form  of  the  verb  properly  represents  either 
the  past  or  the  future.  They  are  really  present  as  respects 
either  of  the  three  conceptions  of  time,  as  indicated,  adverbi- 
ally or  otherwise,  outside  of  the  form  itself.  In  poetry  they 
are  continually  intermingled.  Very  often  both  forms  occur 
in  the  same  verse  as  describing  present  emotion  or  fact  under 
different  aspects,  and  the  same  conception  of  time  passes  on 
without  change  from  verse  to  verse,  where  translators  confuse 
us  by  constant  and  needless  variation. 

As  to  the  distinction  between  the  two  forms  thus  treated  as 
present,  the  perfect  tense,  formerly  called  the  praeter,  includes 
with  the  act  its  completed  issue  in  the  present.  It  is  some- 
thing that  lies  in  the  mind  of  the  writer  or  speaker  as  fully 
matured  and  permanent.  The  imperfect  tense,  formerly  the 
futtire,  exhibits  the  act  in  its  inception  and  continuance  until 
another  act  succeeds.  The  English  language  obliges  us  to 
render  both  aspects  by  the  simple  present  tense.  It  should 
be  always  borne  in  mind  that  in  the  Hebrew,  the  imperfect 
tense  is  the  natural  and  predominant  expression  of  gracious 
affections  in  their  active  flow  and  succession  —  of  love,  trust, 
gratitude,  joy  in  God,  desire  and  praise  as  springing  up  re- 
sponsively  to  the  Divine  touch  upon  the  heart.  The  Revised 
Old  Testament  has  recognized  the  true  significance  of  these 
forms  by  giving  us  in  Psalms  xviii.  I,  "  I  love  Thee,  O  LORD, 
my  strength,"  and  in  xxvi.  8,  "  I  love  the  habitation  of  Thy 
house,"  where  the  Authorized  Version  has  in  the  former,  the 
future^  and  in  the  latter,  the  past.  There  are  a  thousand  other 
cases  where  the  same  change  might  have  been  introduced  with 
great  advantage. 

It  will  be  noted  that  in  Hebrew  poetry  nearly  every  verse 
is  divided  into  two  parts,  called  hemistichs  (half- verses),  in- 


INTRODUCTORY  ESSAY.  xxxv 

dicated  by  a  strong  disjunctive  accent  at  the  close  of  the 
former.  These  principal  lines  are  subdivided  by  minor  dis- 
junctives. Wherever  in  the  following  translation  a  line  is  thus 
subdivided,  giving  three  or  more  lines  to  the  verse,  the  begin- 
ning of  the  second  half-verse  is  indicated  by  its  being  placed 
at  the  extreme  left,  the  subordinate  lines  in  either  part  being 
thrown  somewhat  forward. 

Something  should  yet  be  said  with  regard  to  the  material 
attached  to  the  translated  text,  before  and  after.  It  required 
strong  and  constant  repression  to  avoid  increasing  it,  so  as  to 
make  a  very  large  book.  A  continued  exposition,  verse  by 
verse,  that  might  be  called  a  commentary,  was  never  intended. 
It  was  assumed  that  the  translation  had  done  all  that  lay  in 
its  province,  leaving  nothing  obscure  that  it  could  legitimately 
clear  up.  In  doing  this  it  was  sometimes  obliged  to  be  less 
mechanical  than  its  wont,  and  to  give  the  thought  in  its  con- 
nection without  adhering  rigidly  to  the  precise  words,  for  to 
one  unacquainted  with  Hebrew  idioms,  these  are  often  hope- 
lessly unintelligible.  Yet  more  frequently  our  differences  from 
the  English  Psalter  arise  from  a  closer  adherence  to  the  origi- 
nal. In  determining  what  should  be  added  or  prefixed,  it  was 
designed  to  furnish  in  prefatory  remark,  in  analytical  outline, 
and  in  notes  explanatory  of  words  and  phrases,  or  calling  at- 
tention to  the  connection  and  drift  of  thought,  whatever  might 
be  needed  for  the  removal  of  obscurity.  It  was  the  combined 
purpose  that  the  reader  might  be  put,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
into  the  position  of  intelligent  Israelites,  who  first  sang  these 
songs  of  Zion.  Consequently  the  notes  principally  touch  the 
points  at  which  the  true  sense  might  not  be  readily  discerned, 
or  where  it  seemed  hopeful  that  a  few  simple  words  would 
illuminate  the  Psalm  in  its  unity  of  thought,  and  render  the 
impression  of  the  whole  more  vivid. 

It  was  part  of  the  plan,  whenever  it  might  be  found  neces- 
sary, for  the  sake  of  the  just  expression  of  the  thought  in 


xxxvi  INTRODUCTORY   ESSAY. 

English,  to  depart  slightly  from  precise  mechanical  literalness, 
to  give  in  a  note  the  Hebrew  or  its  exact  translation;  and 
also,  to  avoid  repetition  by  referring  back  to  the  explanation 
of  a  word  or  clause  once  given,  whenever  it  should  again 
occur.  The  former  purpose  has  been  executed  as  far  as 
seemed  necessary,  and  the  latter  to  a  considerable  extent. 
It  was  found  that  a  uniform  system  of  back  reference  would 
needlessly  overload  the  pages,  for  a  single  important  word 
might  require  such  notice  ten,  twenty,  or  a  hundred  times. 

The  translation  of  the  Psalms  by  Prof.  T.  K.  Cheyne,  D.D., 
of  Oxford,  has  been  consulted  with  practical  advantage.  His 
renderings  are  usually  excellent,  often  admirable.  His  critical 
material  is  important;  partly,  as  indicating  some  necessary 
changes  in  the  Massoretic  text,  but  more,  as  proving  its  sub- 
stantial correctness.  His  notes  are  able  and  suggestive,  ex- 
tending to  matters  not  embraced  in  the  practical  purpose  of 
this  volume.  It  is  impossible  to  do  justice  to  the  kindness  of 
Professor  Cheyne's  frequent  reference  to  "  The  Praise  Songs 
of  Israel,"  or  to  his  generous  deprecation  of  being  supposed 
in  rivalry  with  its  author. 

In  this  fresh  effort  to  elucidate  the  Psalms  the  author  has 
been  encouraged  by  the  hearty  commendation  of  his  former 
work  by  other  Biblical  scholars  in  Great  Britain  and  America ; 
such  as  the  Right  Rev.  Edward  Henry  Bickersteth,  D.D., 
Bishop  of  Exeter,  the  Very  Rev.  R.  Payne  Smith,  D.D.,  Dean 
of  Canterbury,  Prof.  A.  H.  Sayce,  D.D.,  of  Oxford,  Prin- 
cipal David  Brown,  D.D.,  of  the  Free  Church  College  at 
Aberdeen,  Prof.  John  Duty  Geden,  D.D.,  of  Didsbury  Col- 
lege, and  Prof.  Alexander  Roberts,  D.D.,  of  St.  Andrews; 
and  in  the  United  States,  the  Rev.  Drs.  Howard  Crosby, 
Charles  A.  Briggs,  T.  W.  Chambers,  and  William  Hayes 
Ward,  of  New  York,  and  Professors  G.  Emlen  Hare,  D.D., 
of  Philadelphia,  George  E.  Day,  D.D.,  of  Yale,  and  J.  Henry 
Thayer,  D.D.,  of  Harvard. 


THE    PSALMS. 


THE    PSALMS. 


BOOK    I. 


THE  RIGHTEOUS  DISTINGUISHED   FROM  THE  WICKED. 

THE  first  Psalm  is  anonymous.  It  is  supposed  to  have  been  written 
as  an  introduction  to  the  First  Book.  But  it  is  admirably  fitted  for  its 
place  at  the  head  of  the  whole  collection.  For  it  touches  the  key-note  of 
them  all,  unswerving  loyalty  in  heart  and  life  to  God  and  His  law,  in  con- 
trast with  faithlessness  and  disobedience.  That  in  character  and  destiny 
there  is  "a  difference  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked,  between 
him  that  serveth  God  and  him  that  serveth  Him  not"  (Mai.  iii.  18),  is  a 
lesson  that  stands  out  in  these  Psalms  in  bold  relief,  like  raised  letters  for 
the  blind.  In  accordance  with  this  difference  our  introductory  Psalm  is 
sharply  separated  into  two  strophes  or  stanzas,  each  consisting  of  three 
verses. 

1.   The  righteous,  his  character,  life,  and  happy  lot  (1-3).    2.   The  wicked,  his 
character,  light  and  worthless  as  chaff }  and  his  condemnation  before  God 

1  How  blest  is  this  man  !  — 

In  the  counsel  of  the  wicked  he  walks  not, 
Nor  stands  in  the  way  of  the  sinner, 

Nor  sits  where  the  scoffing  assemble ; 

2  But  delights  in  the  law  of  Jehovah, 
And  rehearseth  His  law  day  and  night : 

3  As  a  tree  planted  in  by  the  trenches  of  water, 

Yields  fruit  in  due  time, 

And  its  leaf  does  not  fade, 
So  in  all  that  he  does  he  shall  prosper. 


1 '  THE  PSALMS. 

4  Not  so  are  the  wicked, 

But  like  chaff  blown  about  by  the  wind ; 

5  Therefore  the  wicked  shall  not  stand  in  the  judgment, 
Nor  sinners  where  the  righteous  shall  meet; 

6  For  Jehovah  knoweth  the  way  of  the  righteous, 
But  the  way  of  the  wicked  shall  perish. 


(i)  How  blest.  Heb.  "ashre,  O 
the  happinesses  of.  A  noun  abso- 
lute and  exclamatory.  The  plural 
form  intensifies  and  enlarges  the 
conception,  implying  abundant  and 
various  felicity.  This  word  is  not 
to  be  confounded  with  the  pass, 
participle  of  the  verb  barak,  to  bless, 
as  if  the  meaning  were  that  God 
has  blessed  the  man  referred  to, 
as  in  Jer.  xvii.  7.  The  rendering 
happy,  as  describing  an  enviable 
condition,  would  convey  the  true 
sense,  but  not  as  necessarily  in- 
cluding personal  enjoyment.  It  is 
equivalent  in  this  respect  to  the 
Greek  paKapios  (see  Matt.  v.  3-11), 
and  the  Latin  felix.  The  rendering 
how  blest  is  less  likely  to  be  misun- 
derstood, and  exhibits  the  exclama- 
tory emphasis  of  the  Hebrew  — The 
Hebrew  verbs  in  this  verse  are  in 
the  perfect  tense.  But  they  are  not 
to  be  translated  by  the  English  per- 
fect (Cheyne  and  others),  as  if  the 
felicity  were  confined  to  those  who 
have  never  sinned.  They  rather 
describe  the  abandonment  of  sinful 
deeds  and  associations  as  now  an 
accomplished  fact,  and  steadfastly 
adhered  to  as  a  permanent  charac- 
teristic. The  so-called  perfect  tense 
in  Hebrew  often  bears  this  sense 
and  like  the  Greek  perfect  is  to 
be  rendered  by  our  present.  —  The 
wicked  . . .  the  sinner.  The  terms 
most  commonly  employed  to  de- 
scribe men  of  immoral  life.  Here 
the  former  seems  to  refer  to  charac- 
ter and  principle,  the  latter  to  activ- 
ity in  evil-doing.  — Walks . . .  stands 
.  . .  sits.  Walking  describes  the 
life  in  its  continuous  activity.  The 
man's  conduct  is  not  in  accord- 


ance with  the  "  counsel,"  that  is,  the 
thoughts,  purposes,  and  plans  of  un- 
principled men  (see  xxxiii.  10,  n)  ; 
standing  represents  brief  intermis- 
sions in  labor,  when  one  may  con- 
verse with  those  he  likes  best,  here 
with  "  sinners  " ;  sitting,  the  longer 
cessation  at  the  close  of  the  day's 
work,  when  he  may  seek  out  the 
places  and  companions  which  give 
him  the  greatest  pleasure. — Where 
the  scoffing  assemble.  Heb.  the 
sitting  place,  that  is,  where  they 
come  together  for  free  indulgence 
in  blasphemous  and  corrupt  conver- 
sation. See  the  same  word  in  cvii. 
32,  as  equivalent  to  assembly. 

(2)  The  law  of  Jehovah.  This  is 
not  to  be  confined  to  the  Decalogue, 
but  includes  the  whole  body  of  Di- 
vine revelation  thus  far  possessed, 
in  its  bearing  on  the  life  of  man  in 
his  relations  with  God.  The  pri- 
mary meaning  of  torah  is  instruc- 
tion. See  Is.  ii.  3,  4,  "  He  shall 
teach  us  of  His  ways,  and  we  shall 
walk  in  His  paths ;  for  out  of  Zion 
shall  go  forth  the  law  (the  instruc- 
tion) and  the  word  of  Jehovah  out  of 
Jerusalem." — Jehovah.  This  high- 
est Divine  name  defines  the  self- 
revealing  God.  It  is  derived  from 
hayah,  often  translated  to  be.  But 
properly  it  does  not  affirm  mere  ex- 
istence, as  distinguished  from  non- 
existence,  but  manifested  existence. 
Like  the  Greek  yive<r6ai  it  is  used  of 
events  as  occurring  historically,  and 
is  well  translated  in  the  English  Old 
Testament  more  than  six  hundred 
times,  "#  came  to  pass."  When  used 
of  persons  it  means  to  come  forward 
historically.  This  presupposes  ex- 
istence, and  the  verb  to  come,  that  is, 


PSALM   I. 


into  historic  relations  with  men, 
more  fully  expresses  the  meaning 
than  the  verb  to  be.  This  is  impor- 
tant in  the  explanation  of  the  name 
Jehovah.  It  includes  the  o  cpxopcvos 
(who  cometh)  of  Rev.  i.  4,  8 ;  iv.  8. 
It  is  also  to  be  noted  that  the  name 
Jehovah,  properly  Jahveh,  is  the 
imperfect  tense  of  the  verb  hdydh. 
It  describes  continuous  activity. 
It  is  timeless,  as  belonging  to  all 
time,  and  in  proper  names  it  ex- 
hibits a  permanent  personal  char- 
acteristic. Still  further,  the  forms 
I-come  (?Ehyeh)  and  He-comes 
(Yahveh)  exhibit  the  personality 
of  God.  This  is  an  element  not 
found  in  any  other  Divine  name. 
It  is  a  standing  protest  against  ma- 
terialism and  all  idolatry.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  light  thrown  upon  the 
word  by  its  derivation  and  form  a 
special  and  delightful  significance 
is  thoroughly  established  in  usage, 
which  has  its  beginning  in  Ex.  iii. 
14,  15.  God  there  designates  the 
name  Jehovah  as  an  abiding  pledge 
and  memorial  of  gracious  manifes- 
tation. It  assures  His  people  that 
He  will  always  unfold  and  exhibit 
the  properties  of  His  holy,  loving, 
and  infinite  nature  in  adaptation  to 
their  varying  circumstances  and 
need.  The  God  of  Revelation  is 
also  the  God  of  Redemption.  It  is 
interesting  to  observe  in  Ex.  iii.  14, 
that  this  name  in  its  compressed 
form  "  I-am"  or  as  above  explained, 
I-come,  which  is  one  word  {Heb. 
'EhyeK),  was  at  its  first  announce- 
ment a  clause,  consisting  of  three 
words.  The  one  word  1-come,  now 
virtually  a  noun,  was  repeated  with 
the  relative  pronoun  Dasher  (who) 
intervening.  This  implies  the  cop- 
ula tSj  and  gives  us  the  full  name, 
I-come  who  (is)  I-come;  that  is,  the 
full  significance  of  this  name  will  be 
realized  in  the  experience  of  all  who 
trust  and  obey  the  God  whose  grace 
is  so  transcendently  revealed.  It 
is  a  revelation  of  assured  fact.  He 
will  be  found  to  be  all  that  He  calls 


Himself.  —  And  rehearseth.  Heb. 
hagdh ;  A.  V.,  he  meditateth.  See 
note  on  this  word  at  ii.  I.  It  prop- 
erly expresses  low  breathing  or 
whispering,  in  soliloquy,  in  con- 
ning a  lesson,  or  in  speaking  con- 
fidentially to  another.  It  describes 
thought,  not  as  vague  and  indefinite, 
but  formed  into  words,  and  passing 
into  the  ear  of  God,  though  inaudi- 
ble to  man.  See  cxxxix.  4  :  — 

"  When  the  word  is  not  yet  on  my  tongue, 
Lo,  Jehovah,  Thou  knowest  it  all." 

See  also  xix.  14:  "the  whispers  of 
my  heart  in  Thy  presence." 

(3)  As   a  tree.     Heb.     and  be- 
comes  like  a  tree,  stating  a  conse- 
quence.    But  the  close  consecution 
indicates  without  the  verb  that  the 
result  of  receiving  the  law  of  God 
into  the  spirit  and  life  is  like  that 
of  applying  water  to  the  roots  of  a 
tree,  —  strength,  beauty  and  fruitful- 
ness. —  Planted  in.     Heb.    shathul, 
a  poetical   form   that   properly  de- 
notes deep  planting.  —  The  trenches 
of  water.      Heb.     palge    mayim; 
canals  through  which  water  is  dis- 
tributed in  artificial  irrigation  wher- 
ever it  is  most   needed.     Peleg  is 
never  used  of  a  natural  stream.     See 
Prov.  xxi.  i :  — 

"The    King's    heart    is    in    the    hand   of 

Jehovah 

As  the  trenches  of  water ; 
He  turns  it  whithersoever  He  will." 

The  value  of  the  illustration  consists 
in  the  absolute  control  that  a  man 
has  over  that  which  he  has  con- 
trived for  a  given  purpose.  This 
would  not  apply  to  a  river.  See 
notes  on  xlvi.  4  and  Ixv.  9. 

(4)  Not  BO  —  turning  to  the  oppo- 
site picture ;  a  negation  of  both  parts 
of  the  preceding  description.  — Like 
chaff   blown    about,   rather    than 
driven  away  (A.  V.)  :  for  this  verse 
refers  to  character,  and  not  to  des- 
tiny, and  chaff  is  here  the  symbol  of 
moral  worthlessness.     The  resulting 
judgment  follows  in    w.   5  and  6. 
Otherwise    the    following    "There- 
fore "  would  be  without  meaning. 


4  THE   PSALMS. 

II. 

THE  MESSIAH  AS  KING. 

THE    second  Psalm,  like  the  first,   is  anonymous,  and  its  authorshi) 
cannot  now  be  determined.     It  describes,  as  if  present,  a  kingdom 
firmly  established,  in  spite  of  the  opposition  of  an  ungodly  world,  whose, 
permanence  and  universal  extension  are  fully  assured  by  the  immutable 
purpose  and  promise  of  Jehovah. 

It  has  its  historic  basis  in  the  kingdom  of  Israel  under  the  rule  of 
David.  Its  full  scope  embraces  the  final  glory  of  that  kingdom  when  the 
grace  of  the  Messiah  shall  pervade  and  dominate  the  whole  earth. 

The  structure  of  this  Psalm  is  very  symmetrical,  consisting  of  four 
strophes,  each  containing  three  verses. 

1.  The  treasonable  conduct  and  utterances  of  the  heathen  (1-3).  2.  God  scorns 
their  efforts,  and  terrifies  them  by  proclaiming  the  Messiah  His  own  royal  represen- 
tative in  Zion  (4~6).  3.  The  Messiah  speaks ;  God  has  greeted  him  as  His  son, 
and  promised  him  universal  dominion  (7-9).  4-  The  poet  counsels  and  warns  the 
rebellious  (10-12). 

1  Oh  why  are  the  heathen  in  tumult, 
Why  mutter  the  nations  so  vainly? 

2  Earthly  kings  take  their  stand, 
The  princes  hold  council  together 

Against  Jehovah  and  him  that  He  anointed: 

3  "  Let  us  tear  off  their  fetters, 
Their  bonds  cast  away." 

4  The  Enthroned  in  high  heaven  derides, 
Yea,  the  Lord  makes  light  of  them  all. 

5  Then  He  speaks  in  His  wrath, 
And  His  anger  affrights  them : 

6  "  As  for  Me,  I  have  set  up  My  king 
On  My  holy  Mount  Zion." 

7  I  proclaim  the  decree ; 

Jehovah  said  to  me,  "  Thou  art  My  son, 
Whom  I,  this  day,  have  begotten. 


PSALM   II. 


8  If  thou  ask,  I  will  let  thee  inherit  the  nations, 
The  earth  shall  be  thine  to  its  uttermost  bound ; 

9  Thou  shalt  break  them  with  a  rod   of  iron, 
Shalt  shiver  them  like  ware  of  the  potter." 

10  And  now,  O  ye  kings,  show  your  wisdom ; 
Be  warned,  ye  that  rule  in  the  earth. 

1 1  Serve  Jehovah  with  fear ; 

Let  your  joy  be  with  trembling : 

12  Make  peace  with  the  son,  lest  His  anger  aroused, 

ye  are  lost  from  the  way, 
For  His  wrath  very  soon  will  enkindle; 
How  blest  are  all  they  that  take  refuge  in  Him. 


(i)  Heathen.  Heb.  gdyim,  lit. 
nations.  The  word  by  association 
with  historic  fact  suggests  apostasy 
from  God  and  the  most  shameful 
wickedness.  This  should  be  re- 
membered in  all  Psalms  containing 
imprecations  against  the  nations  of 
the  earth.  The  subject  here  is  the 
rebellion  of  heathendom  against  Je- 
hovah and  His  Messiah.  —  Are  in 
tumult  A.  V.,  rage.  The  verb 
ragash  seems  to  be  mimetic.  It 
suggests  external,  rather  than  inter- 
nal, commotion;  not  passion,  but 
the  confused  rumbling  and  shuffling 
of  a  disorderly  crowd.  It  is  used 
only  here  in  Biblical  Hebrew.  But 
in  Psalms  Iv.  15,  Ixiv.  3,  we  find  its 
derivatives,  regesh  and  rtgsMhtmasc. 
and  fern.),  a  throng  or  crowd.  This 
is  quite  similar  to  hhamon,  a  mul- 
titude, from  hhamah,  to  hum.  In 
fact,  for  ragash  the  Targums  here 
use  hhamdn,  which  is  also  mimetic, 
but  weaker.  John  Milton  in  his 
"  Poetic  Paraphrase "  renders  the 
line,  "Wherefore  do  the  Gentiles 
tumult,"  giving  the  meaning  admira- 
bly. But  tumult  as  a  verb  has 
become  obsolete.  — Mutter.  Heb, 
hagdh;  A.  V.,  imagine,  so  rendered 
elsewhere  only  in  xxxviii.  13  The 
word  'imagine'1  is  used  in  old  Eng- 
lish law  of  conspiracy  or  plotting 
{Bouvier*s  Law  Dictionary),  a  sig- 


nification that  has  become  obsolete. 
The  parallelism  and  context  suggest 
a  rendering  more  in  accordance  with 
the  radical  meaning  and  general 
usage  of  the  word.  This  also  is 
mimetic,  and  is  used  of  the  mur- 
muring sound 'of  the  harp,  the  cooing 
of  a  dove,  the  growl  of  a  lion,  the 
rumbling  of  thunder,  the  moaning 
of  distress,  the  low  breathing  or 
whispering  of  praise  or  entreaty, 
into  the  ear  of  God;  also  of  the 
muttering  of  those  practising  incan- 
tations (Isaiah  viii.  19).  Especially 
notice  Isaiah  lix.  3,  "  thy  tongue  mut- 
tereth  perverseness."  It  finely  de- 
scribes the  murmuring  of  discontent, 
and  the  low  tones  in  which  conspira- 
tors discuss  their  plans. 

(4)  The  Enthroned  in  high 
heaven.  The  picture  before  the 
poet's  mind  is  that  of  God  seated 
in  the  "  heaven  of  heavens  "  as  ruler 
over  all,  and  looking  down  upon  the 
puny  and  feeble  mortals  who  are 
virtually  proposing  to  dethrone  him. 
The  Hebrew  word  shamayim,  heav- 
ens, means  literally  "the  heights" 
and  needs  the  descriptive  adjective 
"  high  "  to  convey  its  significance  in 
this  connection.  The  allusion  is  to 
the  fact  that  men  seem  like  mere 
mites  to  one  that  looks  down  upon 
them  from  a  great  elevation.  He 
who  sees  these  poor  insects  in  their 


THE   PSALMS. 


frantic  madness,  Himself  so  far  out 
of  their  reach,  may  well  deride  them. 
See  Isaiah  xl.  22:  "He  that  sitteth 
upon  the  circle  of  the  earth  (refer- 
ring to  the  blue  arch  overhead),  and 
the  inhabitants  thereof  are  like  grass- 
hoppers." 

(6)  As  for  me,  I  have,  etc.    The 
emphatic  pronoun  has  its  usual  an- 
tithetic significance,  as  against  the 
rebellious    utterances    (ver.    3)    of 
these   impious   mortals,   and    intro- 
duces what  God  has  done  that  en- 
sures their  discomfiture.  —  Set  up 
My  king.      The   primary   meaning 
of  the  verb  nasah  is  to  pour  out ; 
never  elsewhere    used   of   pouring 
itpon,  or  anointing,  but  of  pouring 
out  a  libation  (xvi.  4),  of  casting  or 
founding,  by  pouring  molten  metal 

into  a  mould  (Isaiah  xl.  19),  and  then 
of  producing  something  solid  or  firm. 
So  in  a  passive  form  Prov.  viii.  23, 
"  I  was  set  up  from  everlasting." 
Yet  the  emphasis  is  not  upon  the 
verb,  but  upon  its  personal  subject; 
Jehovah  Himself  in  His  infinite  ma- 
jesty and  might  opposes  their  vain 
undertaking. 

(7)  Thou  art  My  son,  whom  I, 
this  day,  have  begotten.     The  em- 
phatic pronoun  lays  stress  upon  the 
relation  to  God  Himself,  as  securing 
by  natural  right  the  sovereignty  of 
the  world.     At  this  point  the  Psalm 
touches  historically  2  Sam.  vii.  14: 
"  I  will  be  to  him  a  father,  and  he 
shall  be  to  me  a  son."     The  Epistle 
to  the  Hebrews  (i.  5)  recognizes  the 
connection  between  the  two,  and  es- 
tablishes the  typico-prophetical  char- 
acter of  the  Psalm.     "  This  day,"  so 
far  as  relates   to  the  typical  king, 
Solomon,  may  refer  to  the  time  of 
the    announcement    by    Nathan   to 
David,  or  to  the  time  when  he  be- 
came king.     Solomon  speaks  of  the 
promise     as    referring     to    himself 
(i  Kings  i.  n).     The  sonship,  like 
the  sovereignty,  applies  to  all  who 
succeeded  David  as  kings  over  Israel. 
They  became  thereby  "sons  of  God  " 
by  adoption.     In  both  respects  their 
Messiahship    was    typical    of    one 


whose  dominion  was  to  be  universal, 
absolute,  and  everlasting,  and  who, 
therefore,  must  be  the  son  of  God 
in  a  higher  sense,  "the  effulgence 
of  His  glory,  and  the  very  image  of 
His  substance,  and  upholding  all 
things  by  the  word  of  his  power  " 
(Heb.  i.  3,  R.  V.).  As  applied  to 
Christ,  the  verb  is  to  be  taken  de- 
claratively,  and  the  designation  of 
time  ("  this  day  ")  points  to  his  pub- 
lic recognition  as  the  Son  of  God, 
and  his  entrance  upon  his  eternal 
kingship,  whether  at  his  baptism, 
transfiguration,  or  resurrection.  De- 
cisive in  favor  of  the  last  of  these, 
we  have  Acts  xiii.  33,  and  especially 
Rom.  i.  4,  "  declared  to  be  the  Son 
of  God  with  power  by  his  resurrec- 
tion from  the  dead." 

(12)  Make  peace.  Heb.  kiss. 
But  this  meaning,  as  between  sub- 
jects and  the  king  on  the  throne,  is 
not  to  be  pressed  in  its  literalness. 
It  expresses  homage  (see  i  Sam.  x.  i), 
and  here  cordial  reconciliation.  So 
the  Greek  Trpoa-Kweat ;  prim,  and  in 
classical  usage,  to  kiss  (the  hand)  to; 
in  New  Testament,  to  do  homage  to, 
to  worship.  See  job  xxxi.  27,  of 
kissing  the  hand  to  the  sun  or  moon 
in  idolatrous  worship. — Very  soon. 
Heb.  like  littleness;  the  most  mi- 
nute particle.  It  is  used- both  of 
quantity  (so  here  in  the  A.  V.), 
and  of  time.  Here  the  latter  is 
more  suitable,  as  in  Job  xxxii.  22; 
Psalms  Ixxxi.  14;  xciv.  17.  (So  R.V.) 
Take  refuge.  Heb.  hhasah,  to  hide 
from  danger.  It  occurs  in  the 
Psalms  more  than  thirty  times,  and 
in  the  Authorized  Version  is  uni- 
formly rendered  trust,  except  in 
Ivii.  i,  where  the  early  translators 
were  compelled  to  give  its  true 
meaning:  "in  the  shadow  of  Thy 
wings  will  I  make  my  refuge."  The 
R.  V.  has  this  rendering  in  a  few 
additional  instances.  The  Ameri- 
can Revisers  would  have  preferred 
it  everywhere.  The  more  general 
idea  of  trust  has  its  own  special 
word  batahh. 


PSALM   III. 


III. 


SORELY  OPPRESSED,  BUT  CONFIDENT  IN  GOD. 

THE  third  and  fourth  Psalms  are  companion  pieces.  They  belong  to 
the  time  of  David's  flight  from  Absalom.  A  disturbed  life  is  find- 
ing a  higher  rest  in  God.  His  enemies  are  many,  and  his  friends  few 
and  spiritless.  But  he  maintains  unfaltering  confidence  in  the  God  of 
Salvation. 

For  the  right  appreciation  of  the  former  of  these  beautiful  songs,  com- 
posed in  the  midst  of  great  peril,  it  is  important  to  note  that  it  was  written 
under  the  inspiriting  influence  of  the  morning  light,  after  a  night  of  undis- 
turbed rest.  God,  under  whose  protecting  care  he  had  slept  safely,  with 
danger  all  around  him,  could  be  relied  upon  for  complete  deliverance.  As 
Ewald  intimates,  it  may  have  been  the  morning  after  the  night  in  which 
Ahithophel  would  have  fallen  upon  him  (2  Sam.  xvii.  i).  It  is  noteworthy 
that  the  Hollanders  sang  this  Psalm  according  to  their  Version  when  they 
marched  against  the  Belgians,  Aug.  I,  1831. 

There  are  four  strophes,  each  having  its  own  topic : 

1.  His  enemies  are  many  (1,  2)  2.  Jehovah  is  his  defender  (3,4).  3.  He  con- 
fides in  Him  (5,  6).  £.  He  addresses  Him  in  prayer  and  praise  (7,  8). 

A   PSALM   OF   DAVID,   WHEN   HE   FLED  FROM   THE   FACE   OF   ABSALOM 

HIS   SON. 

1  O  Jehovah,  how  many  oppress  me ; 
How  many  have  risen  against  me ; 

2  How  many  are  they  that  say  of  my  soul, 

"  He  can  find  no  salvation  in  God."  [Selah.] 

3  But  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  art  a  shield  round  about  me ; 
Thou  art  my  glory,  and  exaltest  my  head. 

4  With  loud  voice  I  call  on  Jehovah ; 

From  His  holy  hill  He  answers  my  cry.  [Selah.] 

5  It  was  mine  to  lie  down  and  to  yield  me  to  sleep, 
I  awaked  for  Jehovah  sustained  me ; 

6  I  fear  not  the  myriads  of  people, 
All  around  me  in  battle  array. 


THE   PSALMS. 


7  O  Jehovah,  arise ;   my  God,  do  Thou  save  me ; 

For  all  my  foes  didst  Thou  smite  on  the  cheek, 
And  hast  shattered  the  teeth  of  the  wicked ; 

8  Jehovah  gives  victory ; 

Oh,  bless  Thou  Thy  people.  [Selah.] 


(2)  Of  my  soul;  not  merely  of 
himself,  as  a  living,  conscious,  per- 
sonal being  (Cheyne),  but,  as  the 
next  line  shows,  with  reference  to 
his  soul's  unwavering  trust  in  God. 
Often  used  in  connection  with  some 
form  of  spiritual  activity.  See  xiii. 
2 ;  xlii.  2.  —  Salvation ;  used  here, 
as  often  elsewhere  in  the  Psalms,  of 
deliverance  from  the  dangers  that 
threatened  his  life. 

(4)  With  loud  voice.    Heb.  with 
my  voice;   an  accusative  of  closer 
definition,   indicating   that  the   call 
was  a  loud  one  (Ewald,  Moll). 

(5)  It  was  mine.      Heb.  'ant,  I. 
The  emphatic  pronoun  here  with  its 
beautiful  significance  has  been  over- 
looked by  translators.     It   is   anti- 
thetic to  "Jehovah  "  following.  Look- 
ing back  to  the  preceding  day,  he 
could  feel,  when  night  came  on,  that 
he  had  done  everything  possible  to 
human  vigilance  and  strength.     Ex- 
cessive weariness  demanded  rest  in 
preparation  for  another  day  of  toil. 
He  remembered  that  God  needs  no 
rest,    and    "neither    slumbers    nor 
sleeps,"  and  realized  that  his  own 
part  was  to  commit  himself  fearlessly 
to  Divine  protection,  —  not  only  to  lie 
down,   but   to  dismiss    unbelieving 
anxiety,  and  sleep.     This  is  finely 
expressed    in    the    Hebrew.      The 
second  verb  (ya'ishanah)  is  in  the 


imperfect  tense,  with  the  volunta- 
tive  termination  ah.  It  is  connected 
by  vav  consecutive  with  the  preced- 
ing verb  in  the  perfect  tense.  The 
two  are  thus  closely  united  in  time 
and  purpose.  He  resolved  that  he 
must  and  would  commit  himself  to 
sleep,  leaving  it  to  God  to  do  His 
own  gracious  part  in  protecting  him. 
A  splendid  lesson  here,  applicable 
to  a  multitude  of  cases.  The  anti- 
thetic clause  following  simply  states 
that  God  accepted  the  trust  and  sus- 
tained him.  See  on  iv.  8. 

(7)  Didst    Thou    smite   on  the 
cheek,  and    hast    shattered    the 
teeth  of  the  wicked.     Both  verbs 
are  in  the  perfect  tense,  and  give  the 
ground  of  his  confidence  in  past  de- 
liverances from  similar  danger,  refer- 
ring to  events  in  his  own  life  which 
could  never  be  forgotten.   Delitzsch  : 
"  David  means  that  an  ignominious 
end  has  always  come  upon  the  un- 
godly who  rose  up  against  him,  and 
against   God's  order  in  general,  as 
their  punishment.    The  enemies  are 
conceived  of  as  monsters  given  to 
biting,  and  the  picture  of  their  fate 
is  fashioned  according  to  this  con- 
ception." 

(8)  Victory.    Heb.  yeshiiah,  usu- 
ally translated  salvation,  but  when 
it  refers  to  the  result  of  battle,  vic- 
tory is  the  better  word. 


PSALM   IV. 


IV. 


FAITH   TRIUMPHING   OVER   MALIGNITY  AND   UNBELIEF. 


Psalm,  like  the  preceding,  is  in  historical  connection  with  the 
1  rebellion  of  Absalom.  Most  interpreters  have  recognized  their  strik- 
ing similarity  in  thought  and  forms  of  expression. 

But  while  that  was  a  morning,  this  is  an  evening  hymn.  It  may  possibly 
relate  to  the  evening  of  the  selfsame  day.  It  is  the  cry  of  one  in  the  midst 
of  great  privations  and  perils,  who  has  found  safety,  peace,  and  blessedness 
in  Jehovah.  Emboldened  by  his  confidence  in  God,  the  righteous  king 
denounces  the  sin  of  his  persecutors,  and  counsels  repentance  and  return 
to  God  in  his  appointed  way  of  sacrifice. 

Then,  after  expressing  his  joy  in  the  light  of  God's  countenance  in  con- 
trast with  the  men  who  crave  only  an  earthly  portion,  he  commits  his  soul 
to  Divine  protection  for  the  night. 

The  Psalm  falls  naturally  into  three  parts  : 

1.  An  entreaty,  based  on  God's  righteousness  and  past  goodness  (1).  2.  A  warning 
addressed  to  his  enemies,  in  two  parts  (2-5).  3.  A  calm  expression  of  his  peace  and 
confidence  in  God  (6-8). 

FOR   THE   LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      UPON   STRINGED   INSTRUMENTS. 
A    PSALM    OF   DAVID. 

1  When  I  call,  do  thou  answer,  my  God,  who  art  righteous, 

Who  in  time  of  sore  pressure  hast  freed  me  ; 
In  pity  give  heed  to  my  prayer. 

2  Men  in  power,  how  long  ye  are  turning  my  glory  into  shame, 
Loving  falsehood,  and  searching  for  lies.  [Selah.] 

3  But  know  how  Jehovah  marks  out  as  His  own,  him  He  loves  ; 
When  I  call,  Jehovah  will  hear  me. 

4  Oh  tremble,  and  cease  from  your  sin  ; 

Thus  admonish  your  heart  on  your  bed,  and  be  still  ;  [Selah.] 

5  Bring  the  offerings  that  are  due  Him, 
And  trust  in  Jehovah. 

6  There  are  many  that  say,  "  Oh  that  good  might  befall  us  !  " 
Lift  upon  us,  Jehovah,  the  light  of  Thy  presence  ; 


10 


THE   PSALMS. 


7  More  joy  Thou  hast  put  in  my  heart  than  is  theirs, 
When  their  corn  and  new  wine  are  increased. 

8  I  will  lie  down  in  peace,  and  forthwith  I  shall  sleep ; 
For  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  were  I  left  all  alone, 

Would'st  make  me  to  dwell  without  care. 


(1)  My  God,  who  art  righteous 

(so  Hengstenberg,  Moll,  Delitzsch), 
or  God  of  my  right,  that  is,  who 
maintainest  my  right  (so  Ewald, 
De  Wette,  Perowne).  But  the 
former  sense  involves  the  latter. 
It  is  God,  as  righteous,  who  main- 
tains and  vindicates  the  righteous- 
ness of  His  servants.  A  noun  in 
construction  with  a  qualifying  geni- 
tive will  take  the  possessive  suffix 
in  connection  with  the  second  noun 
when  it  belongs  to  the  compound 
idea.  So  "God  of  my  righteous- 
ness "  is  equivalent  to  "  my  right- 
eous God."  —  Who  in  time  of  sore 
pressure,  etc.  Heb.  hast  made 
wide  for  me  in  narrowness;  per- 
haps referring  to  the  time  when 
David  was  hemmed  in  at  the  fords 
of  the  Jordan  (2  Sam.  xvii.  16),  and 
receiving  word  of  Ahithophel's  coun- 
sel, passed  over  the  Jordan  to  a  safe 
position.  See  xviii.  19,  cxviii.  5. 

(2)  Men  in  power.     Heb.     bene 
'ish,  not  bene    adam ;   the  specific, 
not  the  generic ;  men  individualized, 
or  separated  from  the  great  mass; 
men  of  distinction,  whether  by  no- 
ble  blood,   or   by  high    office    and 
dignity.    See  xlix.  3  ;  Ixxxii.  7.    The 
call  is  to  the  leaders  in  Absalom's 
rebellion.       Absalom    himself    was 
only  a  tool  in  the  hands  of  ambi- 
tious  men.  —  My   glory,  referring 
to  his  royal  dignity.     The  expostu- 
lation  relates   not  only  to   his  de- 
thronement,  but  to  slanderous   as- 
saults on  his  personal  character. — 
Falsehood.      Heb.  rig.,  lit.  empti- 
ness;   then,    moral  worthlessness ; 
here,  as  shown  by  its   parallelism 
with    the    following    hazab,   lying; 
statements  that  have  no  foundation 
m  fact,  slanderous  falsehood.     So 


its  equivalent  shav,  emptiness,  false- 
hood, xii.  2. 

(3)  Marks  out  as  his  own.    Heb. 
paldh  Id.     The  verb  palah  describes 
a  setting   apart   in  which   there   is 
something    wonderful.      The    royal 
poet  probably  refers  to  his  elevation 
to  the  throne,  followed  by  wonderful 
guidance    and    deliverance.  —  Him 
He  loves.    Heb.  hhasid,  one  beloved 
(Hupf.),  or  one  who  loves  (Del.) ; 
but  neither  is  to  be  accepted  exclu- 
sively. The  English  Bible  gives  holy 
one  or  saint  nineteen  times,  ^xA.  godly 
thrice,  always  following  the  misap- 
prehension of  the  Sept.     Hhasid  is 
derived  from  hhesed,  the  love  of  God 
as  practically  manifested,  especially 
to  His  faithful  servants.    See  note  on 
hhe'sedrt.  xiii.  2.     The  derived  word 
is  properly  passive.     The  active  sig- 
nification in  nouns  of  this  form  is  rare, 
and  where  it  occurs  is  secondary. 
Since  the  love  of  God  as  expressed 
by  hhesed  is  a  Divine  activity  termi- 
nating on  man,  we  might  expect  that 
the  corresponding  denomination  of 
man  would  be  passive,  beloved  rather 
than  loving.    Undoubtedly,  however, 
it  is  active  in  xii.  I  and  xviii.  25,  and 
perhaps  in  some  other  instances.  But 
the  transition  is  easy.     For  it  is  the 
nature  of  love  to  excite  its  object  to 
responsive  activity,  and  the  beloved 
becomes  the  loving,  kindly,  gracious. 
The  connection  must  determine  in 
any  given  case  whether  the  active  or 
the  passive  conception  is  uppermost 
in  the  mind  of  the  writer.     Here,  as 
usually,  the  passive  seems  prefera- 
ble.    But  from  either  the  other  may 
be   surely  inferred,   as   existent  by 
natural  sequence. 

(4)  Thus  admonish.  Heb.  'amerfi, 
say  ye;   implying  words   that   are 


PSALM   IV. 


II 


spoken,  and  evidently  referring  to 
the  admonition  of  the  preceding  line. 
(6)  There  are  many  that  say,  etc. 
A  probable  transition  to  irreligious 
and  worldly  men  in  his  own  com- 
pany. The  camp  of  David  during 
the  rebellion  under  Absalom  was, 
no  doubt,  poorly  supplied  with  the 
means  of  sustenance,  and  expres- 
sions of  discontent  and  despondency 
were  freely  and  loudly  uttered.  But 
his  own  joy  in  God,  notwithstanding 
his  privations,  exceeded  the  joy  of 
the  harvest  festival,  when  the  abun- 
dant products  of  the  earth  were 
gathered  in. 

(6)  Oh  that  good  might  befall 
us.  Heb.  who  will  cause  us  to  see 
good.  The  optative  (oh  that}  is  most 
frequently  and  strongly  expressed  in 
Heb.  by  using  the  interrogative  pro- 
noun (who  f)  followed  by  a  verb  in 
the  imperfect  tense.  See  liii.  6; 
Iv.  6;  2  Sam.  xv.  4,  etc.  It  is  a 
wish,  not  a  prayer;  and  the  good 
they  crave  is  not  the  joy  of  God's 
presence,  but  the  "corn  and  new 
wine,"  the  product  of  the  elements, 
of  nature,  chance,  or  any  other 
wretched,  impersonal  substitute  for 
God.  It  is  the  cry  of  the  sordid, 
who  had  adhered  to  the  king's  stan- 
dard because  they  imagined  the  re- 
bellion would  soon  collapse,  and 
they  would  thus  better  their  own  for- 
tunes ;  and  they  are  now  disgusted 
with  the  miserable  fare  of  the  camp. 
It  is  only  by  apprehending  this  that 
we  get  the  full  force  of  the  follow- 
ing address  to  God. 

(8)  This  closing  verse  indicates 
the  time  of  his  meditation  as  the 
approach  of  night,  when  again  (see 
iii.  5)  he  commits  himself  to  peace- 
ful sleep  —  And  forthwith  I  shall 
sleep.  The  Hebrew  connects  the 
lying  down  and  the  sleeping  by 
ydhhad,  together,  at  once  (Eng. 
Bible,  both).  The  sleeping  shall  im- 
mediately follow,  with  no  interven- 
ing period  of  anxious  wakefulness. 
Were  I  left  all  alone.  This  clause 


is  represented  in  the  Heb.  text  by 
the    single    word    lebadad  {alone}. 
The  Massoretic  accentual   division 
connects    this   with   the    preceding 
"Jehovah,"  as  in  the  English  Bible. 
All  the  ancient  Versions  connect  it 
with    the  speaker.      Modern  opin- 
ions   are    almost    equally    divided. 
In  usage,  Deut.  xxxii.  12  is  quoted 
on  the  side  of  the  former,  and  Deut. 
xxxiii.  28,  of  the  latter.    Riehm  says, 
and  Moll  considers  it  decisive,  "The 
thought  that  Jehovah  is  the  only  pro- 
tection is  without  motive  in  the  con- 
text, as  it  is  not  said  that  he  lacked 
other  protection,  or  that  the  'many' 
sought  protection  anywhere  else." 
But  on  either  supposition  may  we 
not  reasonably  look  for  some  "  mo- 
tive in  the  context?"     What  sug- 
gested the  thought  of  being  "  alone," 
whether  of   God   or  himself?    We 
find   the   answer  in   ver.   6.      The 
worldly  and  irreligious  men  in  his 
own    company    were    impatient    of 
continual  hardship  and  danger,  and 
almost  ready  to  abandon  the  cause 
and  leave  their  king  to  his  fate.     He 
contemplates    the    possibility,    and 
faces   it  fearlessly.     Though   "left 
all  alone,"  he  will  trust  in  Jehovah. 
This  accounts  for  the  indeterminates 
of  the  expression,  and  for  its  sus- 
pension between  the  two  personali- 
ties, so  as  not  to  be  severed  from 
either.      As   if  he  had  said,  "Let 
them  go ;    Jehovah   does  not  need 
their  aid  to  keep  me  in  safety,  and 
I  do  not  need  their  presence  to  give 
me  confidence."    We  have  endeav- 
ored to  express  this  by  placing  the 
adverb  in  a  separate  clause.  —  With- 
out care.      Heb.      labe~tahh,   confi- 
dently',  and  so  securely,  rather  than 
safely.      In    common '  usage    these 
English  words  are  treated  as  equiva- 
lent.    But  secure  is  from  the  Latin 
sine  cura,  without  care.     The  He- 
brew  word   and    the   context  alike 
contemplate    not    only    deliverance 
from    danger,  but  from   preceding 
anxiety  and  fear. 


12  THE   PSALMS. 

V. 

MORNING  PRAYER  ON  ENTERING  GOD'S  HOUSE. 

HP  HERE  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that  David  was  the  author  of  this  Psalm 
JL  as  stated  in  the  title.  But  there  are  no  special  circumstances  in  his 
life  with  which  we  can  definitely  connect  it.  Like  the  third  Psalm,  it  is  a 
prayer  for  the  morning,  but  under  different  conditions.  There,  he  was  in 
banishment,  and  surrounded  by  open  enemies.  Here,  he  is  in  Jerusalem, 
and  in  full  enjoyment  of  the  privileges  of  the  sanctuary,  but  is  threatened 
by  the  secret  plottings  of  impious  and  malignant  men. 

The  Psalm  is  an  earnest  prayer  for  protection  from  the  wicked,  and  is 
grounded  upon  the  character  of  God  as  one  who  is  righteous,  and  who 
therefore  will  surely  protect  and  bless  those  that  fear  and  serve  Him. 

1.  Entreaty  that  God  will  hear  his  petitions  (1-3).  2.  Confidence  in  coming  to 
God  as  to  one  who  hates  sin  (-£-7).  3.  Prayer  grounded  on  this  confidence,  — 

(a)  For  personal  guidance,  (b)  For  the  destruction  of  enemies,  (c)  For  the  pro- 
tection and  blessing  of  all  who  love  God  (8-12). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   WITH  THE  FLUTE.   A  PSALM  OF 

DAVID. 

1  Give  ear  to  my  words,  O  Jehovah ; 
Heed  my  low  whisper, 

2  And  regard  my  loud  cry,  O  my  King  and  my  God, 
For  to  Thee  is  my  prayer. 

3  My  voice  shalt  Thou  hear  at  the  dawn,  O  Jehovah ; 
For  Thee  I  prepare  at  the  dawn,  and  look  forth. 

4  For  Thou  art  not  a  God  that  has  pleasure  in  sin, 
Nor  shall  evil  be  welcome  with  Thee ; 

5  The  proud  cannot  stand  in  Thy  presence, 
Those  busy  in  wrong,  Thou  hatest  them  all ; 

6  And  those  that  speak  lies  Thou  destroyest, 
Bloodshed  and  fraud  Jehovah  abhors. 

7  But   I,  through  Thy  great  lovingkindness  I  come  to 

Thy  house ; 
In  Thy  holy  palace  I  worship  and  fear  Thee. 


PSALM   V. 


8  In  Thy  righteousness  guide  me  because  of  my  foes ; 
As  a  plain  set  before  me  Thy  way : 

9  For  their  mouth  is  not  steadfast, 

A  yawning  gulf  is  within  them ; 
Their  throat  is  a  wide  open  grave, 

And  they  speak  with  smooth  tongue. 

10  Give  them  sentence,  O  God, 

By  their  plots  let  them  fall ; 
Thrust  them  forth  in  their  many  transgressions, 
Because  they  rebel  against  THEE  ; 

1 1  That  all  that  take  refuge  in  THEE  may  rejoice, 

And  may  ring  out  their  gladness  forever ; 
Give  them  shelter,  and  in  Thee  shall  they  triumph, 
That  have  love  for  Thy  Name. 

12  For  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  wilt  the  righteous  man  bless, 
Like  a  shield  shall  Thy  favour  surround  him. 


(1)  My  low  whisper.  Heb.  hagig, 
from  hdgag=hagah.     See  note  on 
i.  2.     It  is  not  a  "  meditation  "  (A.  V.), 
but  a  pouring  out  of  the  heart  in 
prayer,  clearly  denned  and  earnest, 
though   scarcely  articulated   to  the 
ear  of  man ;  and  presently  it  breaks 
forth  into  strong  vocal   expression 
(ver.  2).     In  the  musical  accompani- 
ment the  transition  here  from  the 
faintest  and  sweetest  murmuring  of 
the   cithern  to  the   louder   tone  of 
the  full  orchestra  would  be   most 
effective.     See  xix.  14. 

(2)  My    loud    cry.      Heb.    qdl 
sfanff£y}$)t  lit.  the  voice  of  my  cry. 
See  note  on  iii.  4. 

(3)  I  prepare.     Heb.  'arak  Opjfy 
to  put  in  order.     In  the    English 
Bible  "my  prayer"  is  supplied  by 
the  translator.     But  this  verb  is  not 
elsewhere    connected   with    prayer. 
In  the  Old  Testament  worship  it  is 
used  of  preparing  and  arranging  the 
wood  for  the  offering,  and  the  pieces 
to  be  offered  (Lev.  i.  7,  8) ;    so  of 
the    sacred    lamps    and    the  show- 
bread.       The     preparation    of    the 
wood  for  the  morning  sacrifice  was 


one  of  the  first  duties  of  the  priest 
at  the  dawn  of  the  day.  The  con- 
finement to  prayer  is  too  narrow. 
With  a  probable  allusion  to  the 
early  sacrifice,  the  poet  expresses 
his  purpose  to  make  all  suitable 
preparation  for  the  coming  of  one 
whose  presence  is  anticipated  with 
earnest  longing.  This  preparation 
consists  principally  in  putting  away 
sin  as  always  offensive  to  a  holy 
God.  Of  this  the  morning  and 
evening  sacrifice  was  the  appointed 
symbol.  —  And  look  forth,  that  is, 
expectantly.  Heb.  tsaphah,  to  look 
eagerly  for,  with  the  primary  idea  of 
bending  forward,  as  in  shaqaph  (see 
on  xiv.  2).  Remembering  that  this 
is  a  temple  song,  the  thought  of 
the  poet  is  that  the  worshipper  is 
in  the  house  of  God  as  an  invited 
guest,  who  hopes  for  gracious  re- 
ception and  entertainment.  The 
reason  is  then  given  for  putting 
away  sin  from  the  heart  and  life  by 
the  means  which  God  has  graciously 
appointed. 

(4)   Be    welcome    with    Thee; 
that  is,  as  a  guest.     Heb.  yagfir, 


14  THE   PSALMS. 

imperfect  tense  of  gur,  to  sojourn,  over  Israel,  and  receives  the  homage 

as  one  receiving  the  hospitality  of  of  His  subjects, 
another.     It  refers  here  to  visiting         (9)  A  yawning  gulf.     Heb.  ha- 

God's   house  for  the  enjoyment  of  voth;    usually  plur.      Evil  desires 

His  presence  and  grace.     See  xv.  i;  as  insatiable  and  destructive  ;  from 

Ixi.  5;  xxxix.  13.  havah,  to  yawn.  —  Within  them. 

(7)  Palace.      Heb.   hekal,   prim.  Heb.  qirbam,  their  interior.  —  They 

a  spacious  building;  then  often,  a  speak  with  smooth  tongue.     Heb. 

royal  residence.     Here,   the   taber-  they  make  smooth  their  tongue,  con- 

nacle  is  conceived  of  as  the,  place  cealing  their  deadly  purposes  under 

where   God  is  enthroned  as   King  nattering  language. 


VI. 

A  CRY  FOR  MERCY  UNDER  JUDGMENT. 

THIS  is  the  first  of  the  seven  Penitential  Psalms  (vi.  xxxii.  xxxviii.  li. 
cii.  cxxx.  cxliii.),  so  called  since  the  third  century  There  are  sev- 
eral occasions  in  the  life  of  David  to  which  it  would  be  suitable,  but  we 
cannot  determine  upon  either  with  certainty.  It  is  the  cry  of  a  penitent, 
expressing  great  anguish  in  the  opening  sentences,  becoming  calmer  as  it 
proceeds,  and  ending  in  a  burst  of  thanksgiving  and  triumph.  The  second 
strophe,  ver.  4-7,  is  a  transition  from  the  first  strophe  to  the  third. 

The  Psalm  seems  to  have  been  composed  after  severe  suffering,  which 
the  sufferer  recognizes  as  chastisement  for  sin.  He  has  been  brought 
to  the  verge  of  Sheol,  the  domain  of  death  (ver.  5),  probably  by  sickness. 
His  physical  sufferings  have  been  aggravated  by  the  taunts  of  his  enemies 
(ver.  7,  10),  but  they  are  balked  in  their  evil  purposes  by  his  unexpected 
recovery. 

1.  Cries  of  distress  in  suffering  and  terror  (1-8).  2.  He  spreads  out  his  misery 
before  God,  imploring  deliverance  (-£-7).  3.  He  expresses  his  confidence  in  God,  who 
has  heard  his  prayers,  and  put  his  foes  to  shame  (8-10). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   UPON  STRINGED  INSTRUMENTS. 

1  Not  in  Thine  anger,  rebuke  me,  Jehovah, 
Nor  chastise  me  in  wrath. 

2  Have  pity,  Jehovah,  for  I  wither  away, 

And  heal  me,  Jehovah,  for  my  bones  are  dismayed ; 

3  Yea,  my  soul  is  exceeding  dismayed ; 
And  Thou  —  O  Jehovah,  how  long? 

4  Return,  O  Jehovah ;  deliver  my  soul ; 

Because  of  Thine  own  lovingkindness  preserve  me ; 


PSALM   VI. 


5  For  in  death,  none  will  call  Thee  to  mind ; 

And  who  in  the  region  of  spirits  will  praise  Thee? 

6  I  am  weary  of  moaning; 

Every  night  my  bed  I  dissolve, 
And  water  my  couch  with  my  tears ; 

7  Mine  eyes  are  sunken  with  grief, 
Grown  old  through  all  mine  oppression. 

8  Depart  from  me,  all  that  do  evil, 

For  Jehovah  has  heard  my  loud  sobbing; 

9  Jehovah  has  heard  mine  entreaty, 
Jehovah  accepteth  my  prayer. 

10   All  my  foes  are  ashamed,  and  exceeding  dismayed; 
All  at  once  put  to  shame  they  turn  back. 


(1)  The  sufferer  is  not  to  be  un- 
derstood as  merely  asking  for  some 
alleviation  of  his  misery,  which  might 
be  regarded  as  a  correction  in  mercy. 
His  chastisement  has  been  so  se- 
vere and  protracted   as   to  compel 
him  to  believe  that  he  is  the  object 
of  God's  fierce  and  consuming  wrath, 
and  must  soon  perish  unless  it  be 
wholly  withdrawn. 

(2)  Are  dismayed.     A.  V.  vexed, 
as  in  ii.  5.     Heb.  nibli'lu,  from  bahal, 
to  be  convulsed  with  terror,  referring 
to  the  fear  of  death,  as  inevitable, 
unless  God  have  mercy.     The  same 
word  is  repeated  in  ver.  3,  with  an 
intensifying  adverb,  shaken  greatly 
•with  terror.     His  soul  is  even  more 
shaken  than  his  body.    For  the  latter, 
represented  by  the  bones,  is  firmer 
and  less  easily   shaken.      See  Job 
iv.  14:   "Fear  came  upon  me  and 
trembling,  which  made  all  my  bones 
to  shake." 

(5)  The  region  of  spirits.  Heb. 
SheoL  A  difficult  word  to  render 
into  English,  but  the  Hebrew  con- 
ception of  the  condition  of  the  dis- 
embodied dead  is  indicated  by  the 
derivation  of  Sheol  from  the  verb 
shaal  to  dig ;  a  subterranean  abode 
into  which  souls  enter  at  death, 
which  is  represented  in  Job  iii.  17 


as  a  place  where  not  only  weariness 
and  suffering,  but  the  activities  of 
the  earthly  life  are  at  an  end.  By 
our  present  poet,  the  remembrance 
and  praise  of  God  are  described  as 
ceasing  with  death.  What  reason 
we  have  to  rejoice  in  a  later  and 
fuller  revelation  in  which  "life  and 
immortality  are  brought  to  light." 

(6)  Here,  as  inPs.  iv.,we  have  a 
remembrance  of  the  night,  indicating 
the  time  of  composition  as  probably 
the  morning.  But  there  it  was  a 
night  of  refreshing  rest,  while  here 
we  find  pain,  weeping,  and  sleep- 
lessness. 

(8)  My  loud  sobbing.  Lit.  the 
voice  (noise)  of  my  weeping^  see 
note  on  iii.  4. 

(10)  In  their  shame  they  turn 
back.  A.  V.  they  are  ashamed, 
they  turn  back.  Heb.  yashubu 
yeboshu.  The  alliteration  (parano- 
masid)  and  inversion  are  noticeable. 
More  important  is  the  construction  of 
two  verbs  with  or  without  a  connec- 
tive and,  where  one  qualifies  the 
other  adverbially.  It  is  quite  fre- 
quent in  Hebrew,  as  it  is  also  in  the 
Greek,  and  might  be  called  hen- 
diadys  of  the  verb.  This  is  the  first 
instance  in  the  Psalms. 


16  THE  PSALMS. 


VII. 


AN  APPEAL  TO  GOD  AS  JUDGE  OF  ALL,  AGAINST  MALIGNANT 
AND    DEADLY  SLANDERS. 

THIS  is  the  first  of  eight  Psalms  that  are  assigned  by  their  titles  to  the 
time  of  David's  persecution  by  Saul  (vii.  xxxiv.  lii.  liv.  Ivi.  Ivii. 
lix.  cxlii.).  The  Cush  referred  to  in  the  title  is  otherwise  unknown.  As  a 
Benjamite  he  was  of  the  same  tribe  with  Saul,  and  was  probably  a  devoted 
adherent,  and  shared  his  bitterness  against  David.  The  protestation  of 
innocence  in  verses  3  and  4,  is  very  similar  to  David's  language  to  Saul  in 
I  Sam.  xxiv.  1 1,  and  the  second  line  of  ver  4  seems  to  refer  pointedly  to  his 
magnanimity  in  protecting  the  life  of  Saul  from  his  companions  in  arms. 

The  Psalm  is  much  more  irregular  in  arrangement  of  thought,  strophi- 
cal  division,  and  rhythm,  than  most  others,  as  if  the  poet's  mind  were  in- 
tensely excited,  and  bewildered  by  opposite  and  contending  emotions. 
Yet  above  all  the  turmoil  and  disquietude  of  a  fugitive  driven  to  great 
extremity,  there  arises  a  calm  confidence  in  God,  whose  righteousness 
and  power  will  prevail  against  all  combinations  of  malignant  evil. 

1.  Introductory.  He  seeks  protection  and  deliverance  (1,2).  2.  Protests  his  inno- 
cence (3-5).  3.  Confidently  appeals  to  God,  as  a  righteous  judge,  for  a  just  sentence^ 
as  between  himself  and  his  enemies  (6-10).  4-  Describes  God's  dealings  with  the 
"wicked  (11-16).  5.  Anticipates  with  glad  thanksgiving  the  success  of  his  appeal  (17). 

SHIGGAION  OF  DAVID,   WHICH   HE   SANG  TO  JEHOVAH   CONCERNING  THE 
WORDS   OF   CUSH   THE  BENJAMITE. 

1  Jehovah,  my  God,  in  Thee  I  take  refuge ; 

Oh  save  me,  yea,  snatch  me  from  all  my  pursuers ; 

2  That  he  tear  not  my  soul  like  a  lion, 
That  he  rend  not,  when  no  one  can  rescue. 

3  Jehovah,  my  God,  if  in  this  I  am  guilty, 
If  iniquity  cling  to  my  hands ; 

4  If  I  recompensed  friendship  with  evil, 
I,  that  delivered  my  wanton  assailant, 

5  Let  an  enemy  chase  and  alight  on  my  soul, 
Let  him  trample  my  life  on  the  earth, 

And  my  glory  bring  down  to  the  dust.         [Selah.] 


PSALM  VII.  17 

6  Arise,  O  Jehovah,  in  anger ; 

Lift  Thee  up  'gainst  the  wrath  of  my  foes ; 
Yea,  arouse  Thee  to  meet  me, 

With  the  justice  which  Thou  hast  ordained : 

7  Call  a  concourse  of  nations  about  Thee, 
Then  return  to  Thy  throne  high  above. 

8  Jehovah  is  judging  the  nations  ; 

Give  me  sentence,  Jehovah,  as  Thou  findest  me  righteous, 
As  Thou  knowest  my  freedom  from  guilt. 

9  The  ill  deeds  of  the  wicked,  let  come  to  an  end, 

But  establish  the  righteous, 
God  of  justice,  who  triest  the  heart  to  its  depths. 

10  God  beareth  my  shield, 

The  Saviour  of  the  upright  in  heart. 

1 1  God  is  righteous  in  judgment, 

And  a  God  that  threateneth  day  after  day. 

12  If  one  will  not  repent,  then  His  sword  will  He  whet, 
His  bow  He  has  bent  and  made  ready; 

13  He  has  aimed  at  the  man  the  weapons  of  death, 
And  setteth  His  arrows  aflame. 

14  Behold,  he  that  travails  with  evil, 

He  is  pregnant  with  mischief,  a  lie  he  brings  forth ; 

15  A  hollow  he  digs,  delving  deep, 

And  falls  down  in  the  pitfall  he  makes. 

1 6  The  ill  he  had  done  comes  back  on  his  head, 
Upon  his  own  brow  his  outrage  descends. 

17  I  will  bring  to  Jehovah  the  thanks  due  His  justice, 
And  on  harps  praise  the  Name  of  Jehovah  Most  High. 

(i)  Take  refuge,  as  in  ii.  12.  delivered.  'ahhallatsah,?iPielic>rm. 

(4)  Friendship.  Heb.  sholeml,  Cheyne  translates  oppressed  him; 
my  friend j  a  participial  noun  con-  Delitzsch  gives  plundered  mine 
nected  with  the  Heb.  shalom  and  ene7ny  without  cause;  making  it 
the  salaam  of  the  East,  ancient  and  refer  to  David's  cutting  off  the  hem 
modern,  as  a  friendly  greeting,  wish-  of  Saul's  garment,  affirming  that  it 
ing  health  and  prosperity.  Here,  was  not  without  cause,  and  there- 
one  with  whom  I  exchanged  salaams,  fore  not  an  act  of  hostility.  This  is 
In  such  a  case  the  conduct  described  very  strained  and  unnatural.  It  may 
would  have  been  gross  hypocrisy,  be  observed  that  while  this  verb  in 
So  xli.  10.  'is/i  shalomt.  —  That  other  forms  may  mean  to  plunder,  it 


i8 


THE   PSALMS. 


never  has  that  meaning  in  this  Piel 
form,  but  always  that  of  delivering. 
See  2  Sam.  xxii.  20;  Psalms  vi.  4, 

1.  15,  Ix.  7,  Ixxxi.  8.     The  reference 
to  David's  magnanimity  (see  I  Sam. 
xxiv.)  is  very  clear. 

(5)  My  glory;    that  is,  his  per- 
sonal being  as  a  living  spirit,  as  in 
xvi.  9,  xxx.  13,  Ivii.  9,  Iviii.  2 ;  Gen. 
xlix.  6.     It  is  indicated  here,  by  the 
parallelism    in    the   two    preceding 
lines.     The  "dust"  is  the  dust  of 
death.      See    xxii.    16,   and    Isaiah 
xxvi.  9.     "They  that  dwell  in  the 
dust."     The  chief  glory  of  man  is 
his  immortal  nature. 

(6)  Here,  as  often  in  these  sacred 
lyrics,  the  poet,  in  preparing  a  chant 
suitable  for  use  by  the  great  con- 
gregation in  the  long  future,  rises 
from    the    special    to   the  general. 
Finding    his    starting-point    in    his 
personal  experience  of  the  hostility 
and  gross  injustice  of  those  about 
him,    presently    he    and    his     foes 
come  to  be  symbols  of  a  broader 
conflict  between  the  people  of  God 
and  the  combined  powers  of  evil, 
between  the  great  Jehovah  as  the 
omnipotent   Protector  of  the  right- 
eous on  the  one  hand,  and  hostile 
nations   on  the  other.      It    is   the 
great  battle  between  good  and  evil, 
which  can    have    but  one   ending. 
The  royal  poet  and  his  malignant 
enemy  represent,  on  either  side,  the 
kingdoms  of  the  world  against  Je- 
hovah and  His  anointed.     And  now 
his  language  becomes  prophetic  of 
the  utter  collapse  and  discomfiture 
of    falsehood    and   wrong,   and    he 
closes  with  a  burst  of  praise.     See 
on  ix.  i. 

(7)  The  host  of  the  nations  are 
summoned  to  stand  before  the  Judge 
of   all  the  earth,  and  after  having 
executed  judgment   He  will  return 
to  his  rest  on  high. 

(8)  Is  judging.    Heh    yadln;ft& 
prominent  idea  in  this  verb  is  that 
of  ruling,  but  as  including  that  of 
judging  and  determining;  see  Ixxii. 

2.  In  this  it  differs  from  shaphat, 
which  follows  in  the  next  line.    The 


latter  refers  to  judicial  functions 
more  exclusively,  though  these  may 
be  exercised  by  a  king. 

(9)  The    heart    to  its    depths. 
Heb.     the  heart  and  the  reins.     In 
the  Hebrew  psychology,  the  reins, 
or  kidneys,   were  regarded  as  the 
seat  of  the  desires,  affections,  and 
passions;  the  heart,  of  thoughts  and 
purposes,  —  though   when  standing 
alone  the  heart  may  be  used  in  the 
former  sense.     According  to   mod- 
ern conception,  the  heart  and  the 
mind  would  more  nearly  exhibit  the 
thought  of  the  Psalmist. 

It  seems  hardly  necessary  to  re- 
tain kidneys  or  reins  in  a  translation, 
since  the  idea  it  represents  has  be- 
come thoroughly  obsolete.  See  also 
xvi.  7,  Ixiii.  21,  cxxxix.  10. 

(10)  Heb.  my  shield  is  tip  on  God, 
that  is,  He  has  charged  Himself  with 
my  protection. 

(15)  A  hollow  he  digs,  delv- 
ing deep.  Heb.  He  digs  a  pit  and 
delves  it.  The  two  verbs  karah 
and  hhaphar  are  identical  in  mean- 
ing. See  the  latter  alone  in  xxxv. 
7,  "  digged  \p.  pit]  for  my  life."  It 
does  not  here  describe  a  separate  act, 
but  qualifies  the  preceding  word  ad- 
verbially. Often  as  it  occurs,  our 
grammars  and  translations  do  not 
recognize  hendiadys  of  the  verb. 
See  on  vi.  10. 

(17)  And  on  harps  praise  the 
Name.  Heb.  'azammerah,  I  will 
harp  to  the  Name.  This  verb  seems 
primarily  to  be  mimetic,  imitating 
the  vibration  of  harp-strings,  and 
so  means  to  strike  the  chords  of  a 
harp  or  other  stringed  instrument. 
Thence  to  play  or  make  music  (comp. 
Gr.  •v/x-aAXo),  of  similar  derivation  and 
meaning);  sometimes  with  mention 
of  the  instrument,  xxxiii.  2,  cxlv.  3, 
etc.  In  the  English  Bible  usually 
rendered  "sing."  The  music  of 
stringed  instruments,  as  a  symbol 
of  the  high  praises  of  God,  is  car- 
ried through  the  Bible  to  the  visions 
of  John  in  the  Apocalypse,  where  we 
read  of  "harpers  harping  with  their 
harps."  Rev.  xviii.  22. 


PSALM   VIII.  19 


VIII. 

THE  GLORY  OF  THE  HEAVENS,  AND   THE  GLORY  OF  MAN. 

THIS  Psalm  seems  to  belong  to  the  time  when  David  had  charge  of 
his  father's  flocks,  rather  than  to  any  other  period  of  his  life.  We 
may  agree  with  Delitzsch  and  others  that  probably  none  of  the  Davidic 
Psalms  in  the  Psalter  were  composed  until  after  he  was  anointed  king,  and 
became  "  the  sweet  psalmist  of  Israel "  (2  Sam.  xxiii.  I,  R.  V.).  But  that 
does  not  forbid  our  finding  here  a  vivid  reminiscence  of  some  brilliant 
night  on  the  hills  of  Bethlehem,  when  the  shepherd  youth  lifted  up  his 
soul  to  God,  praising  Him  for  the  glory  of  the  heavens,  and,  even  more, 
for  the  honour  He  has  bestowed  upon  man.  It  is  probable  that  many  of 
the  Psalms  were  written  in  the  tranquil  old  age  of  the  royal  singer,  recall- 
ing the  most  remarkable  events  of  his  earlier  life,  and  reproducing  the 
thoughts  and  emotions  that  had  then  stirred  mightily  within  him,  and  to 
some  extent  the  very  words  in  which  they  had  found  expression. 

It  is  an  evening  song,  the  carol  of  the  nightingale  rejoicing  in  the  sheen 
of  the  moon  and  the  stars.  Yet  we  may  be  sure  that  the  soul  of  the  singer 
was  flooded  with  the  sunlight  of  Divine  grace  and  favour.  It  is  a  lyrical 
episode  to  the  grand  lyric  of  the  creation,  touching  it  at  the  story  of  the 
fourth  and  sixth  of  the  creative  days.  There  are  several  kindred  songs, 
celebrating  the  wonders  of  nature,  as  exhibiting  the  perfections  of  God. 
But  not  one  of  them  combines  so  marvellously  the  highest  poetic  beauty 
with  inspiring  suggestiveness.  It  touches  the  extreme  points  of  God's  self- 
attestation  to  man,  uniting  the  glory  of  the  beginning  with  the  greater  glory 
of  the  close,  the  light  that  flashed  out  when  there  was  yet  no  human  eye 
to  behold  it,  with  the  light  of  the  city  of  the  redeemed. 

The  culminating  point  of  the  Psalm  is  the  glory  originally  bestowed 
upon  man  in  investing  him  with  the  sovereignty  over  all  creatures  upon 
the  earth,  alluding  to  the  Divine  ordinance  in  Gen.  i.  28. 

In  working  up  to  this  point,  the  Psalmist  enlists  and  holds  our  highest 
admiration.  The  opening  Doxology  is  an  adoring  reference  to  the  Name 
Jehovah,  as  suggestive  of  the  grace  of  the  personal  God  in  coming  into 
personal  relations  with  men,  and  attracting  them  to  Himself  by  entrancing 
manifestations  of  His  power  and  kindness ;  and  the  emphatic  repetition  of 
this  Doxology  at  the  close  is  most  suitable  and  impressive.  Attached  to 
it  in  the  first  verse,  and  not  repeated  in  the  last,  there  is  a  thankful  recog- 
nition of  the  glory  of  God,  as  shining  in  the  heavens,  and  so  reflected  to 
the  earth  that  all  may  behold  it,  and  bless  His  holy  Name. 

The  second  verse  refers  to  two  classes  of  men  who  witness  this  exhibi- 
tion: the  enemies  of  God,  who  deride,  scoff,  and  deny;  and  children,  even 


20  THE   PSALMS. 

babes  unwearied,  the  simple-minded,  loving  and  sincere,  whose  grateful 
and  unstinted  praise  scatters  to  the  winds  the  aspersions  of  malignant 
scepticism. 

We  have  now,  in  verse  third,  a  delightful  retrospection.  The  Divine 
work  on  the  fourth  day  of  creation,  and  the  crowning  work  of  the  sixth, 
are  brought  vividly  into  the  present,  and  in  sharp  contrast.  The  glory 
of  the  visible  heavens  with  its  flaming  orbs  seems  to  entitle  them  to 
higher  estimation  than  any  possible  product  of  Almighty  power.  But 
upon  man,  in  his  insignificance  and  feebleness,  even  a  greater  glory  was 
bestowed,  and  he  is  invested  with  the  highest  dignity.  Under  God,  and 
yet  but  a  little  lower,  he  is  made  lord  over  all  the  earth.  Every  tenant  of 
land,  and  air,  and  sea,  is  subjected  to  his  power. 

It  is  worthy  of  note  that  this  is  referred  to  as  a  permanent  constitution. 
It  not  only  belongs  to  the  past,  but  to  the  present,  and,  by  implication,  to 
the  future.  Its  foundation  was  laid  in  a  creative  act  which  even  yet  dis- 
tinguishes the  man  from  the  brute,  and  the  distinction  is  ineradicable. 

Is  this  glorious  Psalm  prospective,  as  well  as  retrospective?  By  any 
legitimate  interpretation,  does  it  include  within  its  sweep  of  space,  and 
time,  and  power,  God's  redemptive,  as  well  as  His  creative  work?  Does 
it  contain  any  hint  of  a  greater  glory  and  a  higher  dignity  in  the  future  ? 

We  think  that  it  does  most  assuredly.  If  not  distinctly  in  the  thought 
of  the  sacred  poet,  it  lay  in  the  thought  and  purpose  of  God,  as  clearly  as 
if  already  accomplished,  that  whenever  the  full  glory  of  fellowship  with 
God  should  be  realized,  whenever  the  germinal  and  immature  living  prin- 
ciple that  he  received  by  the  Divine  breath  —  his  higher  Divine  nature  — 
should  attain  its  most  perfect  beauty  and  strength,  he  would  indeed  be 
lord  overall  in  a  loftier  sphere.  He  was  not  made  in  the  image  of  God  that 
he  might  forever  be  a  keeper  of  sheep  and  driver  of  oxen,  or  that  he  might 
subjugate  the  lion,  and  harpoon  the  whale.  This  "dominion  over  the  beasts 
of  the  field,  the  birds  of  the  air,  and  the  fish  of  the  sea"  is  a  parable  for 
the  future,  when  more  absolutely  "all  things  shall  be  put  under  his  feet." 
His  rule  over  the  brute  creation  was  a  fact  in  the  then  present,  in  accord- 
ance with  his  capacity  in  the  first  period  of  his  existence.  It  comprehends 
a  prophecy  and  pledge  that  in  whatever  position  he  shall  hereafter  occupy, 
-when  the  glory  of  his  nature  reaches  its  fullest  development,  and  he  at- 
tains fitness  for  higher  dignity  and  rule,  he  shall  be  lord  paramount,  none 
above  him  save  God  only. 

The  purpose  of  Jehovah  seemed  to  be  defeated  when  sin  entered  into 
the  world,  and  the  indispensable  conditions  of  spiritual  growth  and  pre- 
eminence ceased  to  exist,  but  it  has  never  been  abandoned.  It  is  realized 
through  Christ,  as  head  of  a  new  humanity,  who,  by  uniting  them  to  him- 
self, as  partakers  of  his  own  life,  restores  to  men  all  they  had  lost,  whether 
actual  or  possible.  They  become  associated  with  him  in  the  highest  glory 
and  honour. 

In  the  light  of  these  comments  we  can  understand  the  effective  use  which 
the  author  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  makes  of  the  eighth  Psalm  in 


PSALM   VIII.  21 

chap.  ii.  5-10.  The  splendid  significance  which  he  attributes  to  it  is  quite 
within  its  legitimate  scope  and  meaning,  in  its  historic  connection  with 
the  account  in  Genesis. 

FOR  THE   LEADER  OF   THE  CHOIR.      UPON  GITTITH.      A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  Jehovah,  our  Lord, 

In  all  the  earth  how  transcendent  Thy  Name, 
And  what  glory  of  Thine  Thou  gavest  the  heavens ! 

2  Of  the  praises  of  children,  even  infants  unweaned, 

Hast  Thou  founded  a  stronghold  because  of  Thy  foes, 
To  silence  the  hating  and  vengeful. 

3  When  I  look  on  Thy  heavens,  the  work  of  Thy  fingers, 
The  moon  and  the  stars  which  Thou  didst  create, 

4  Oh,  what  is  weak  man,  that  Thou  dost  not  forget  him, 
One  born  of  mankind,  that  for  him  Thou  shouldst  care. 

5  Little  lower  than  God  didst  Thou  place, 
And  with  glory  and  majesty  crown  him. 

6  O'er  the  work  of  Thy  hands  didst  Thou  give  him  dominion, 
And  all  things  put  under  his  feet ; 

7  Of  sheep  and  of  oxen,  these  all, 
And  also,  the  beasts  of  the  field, 

8  The  birds  of  the  air,  and  the  fish  of  the  sea; 
That  which  travels  in  paths  of  the  seas. 

9  Jehovah,  our  Lord, 

In  all  the  earth  how  transcendent  Thy  Name ! 

(i)  Transcendent.    Heb.    'addir.  excellence  of  the  name  of  God,  as 

The  primary  conception  of  the  word  illustrated  in  His  glorious  works.  — 

is  breadth  or  expansion.     In  usage  Thou   gavest.     The  Hebrew  form 

it  describes  grandeur  or  immensity  ?nah,  which  seems  to  be  the  second 

in  persons  or  things.     See  its  use  in  person  imperative  of  the  verb  nathan, 

xciii.  4,  of  the  billows  of  the  sea.    The  to  give,  is  perplexing.     Most  exeget- 

adjective  excellent  of  the  A.  V.  is  ical  authorities  regard  it  as  standing 

commonly  used  of  things  fairly,  but  for  nathatta,  the  second  person  of 

not  surpassingly  good.     As  describ-  the  perfect  tense,  as  rendered  in  the 

ing  a   name,  the   renderings   noble,  text. 

honour  able,  splendid,  eminent,  distin-  (2)    Praises.       Heb.      peh,    the 

guished,  illustrious,  would  ordinarily  mouth;    then,   by    metonymy   that 

be  suitable.     But  they  are  too  famil-  which  proceeds  from  the  mouth,  as 

iar  in  connection  with  human  great-  determined  by  the  context.     So  peh 

ness.     The  term  transcendent  alone  is  variously  translated  in  the  English 

seems   fitly  to  express  the  infinite  Bible,  a  command,  Gen.  xlv.  21,  an 


22 


THE   PSALMS. 


appointment,  Num.  iv.  27,  a  sentence, 
Deut.  xvii.  n,  sayings,  Psalms  xlix. 
14.  No  example  of  metonymy  is 
more  frequent  in  Heb.  Here  the 
context  clearly  suggests  praises, 
The  preposition  min  (of)  is  else- 
where prefixed  to  the  material  of 
which  anything  is  made.  Gen.  ii. 
19. —Hast  thou  founded.  Heb. 
yasadta.  A.  V.  ordained.  The  verb 
yasad  always  signifies  to  lay  a  foun- 
dation, or  by  metonymy,  to  build. 
It  suggests  immediately  that  the 
following  abstract  form  '<?#  (TIJ») 
strength,  is  used  for  the  concrete 
ma'dz  (tlJ''?)  a  stronghold,  as  in 
xxviii.  8  (R.  V.) ;  xlvi.  I ;  Ixii.  7,  — 
Children,  even  infants  unweaned. 
Heb.  babes  and  sucklings.  The  lat- 
ter term  by  hendiadys  defines  the 
former,  which  is  sometimes  used  of 
children  more  fully  grown  (Jer.  vi. 
1 1 ;  ix.  20 ;  Lam.  iv.  4).  In  i  Sam. 
xxii.  19,  xv.  3,  the  two  are  expressly 
distinguished.  Bickel  ("  Carm.  Vet. 
Test,  metrice"  1882),  finding  too 
many  syllables  in  the  line  to  suit  his 
theory  of  Hebrew  versification,  must 
find  some  reason  for  discarding  one 
of  these  words  as  a  corruption  of  the 
text.  He  does  this  by  a  foot-note  : 
"The  addition  by  exaggeration  de- 
stroys the  sense  ;  for  sucklings  can- 
not yet  understand  the  glory  of  God 
as  shown  by  His  works-"  But  the 
word  sucklings  in  a  warmer  climate 
does  not  indicate  an  age  so  tender 
and  unintelligent  as  with  us.  It  was 
the  Hebrew  custom  to  wean  a  child 
when  three  years  old  or  later.  Sam- 
uel was  not  weaned  till  he  was  old 
enough  to  be  helpful  to  Eli  in  the 
temple  (i  Sam.  i.  24). 

(4)  Weak    man.      Heb.    'endsh 
designating  man  as  feeble  ?cs\&  frail, 
a  mortal,  as  in  ix.  19,  20,  x.  18  etc. 
—  Mankind.     Heb.  adam  men  de- 
scribed    generically,  —  the    human 
race,  or  any  individual  of  that  race. 

(5)  Little  lower  than  God  didst 


Thou  place.  All  expositions  of  the 
eighth  Psalm  have  assumed  that 
this  refers  directly  to  Gen.  i.  27: 
"  So  God  made  man  in  His  own 
image."  Probably  most  English  read- 
ers, observing  the  verb  "  made  "  in 
the  familiar  rendering  of  the  Psalm, 
as  in  Genesis,  infer  that  they  must 
equally  describe  man's  creation,  and 
consequently  prefer  that  the  transla- 
tion angels  (A.  V.),  incorrect  as  it 
is,  should  be  retained,  or  some  other 
substituted  that  shall  not  ignore  the 
infinite  distance  that  separates  man 
from  God.  But  is  it  certain  that  the 
poet  refers  here  to  the  creation  and 
nature  of  man  ?  Does  not  his  ques- 
tion in  the  previous  verse  imply  that 
man  already  exists,  not  going  back  to 
the  elements  of  his  being,  as  Divinely 
produced  and  combined?  The  He- 
brew text  here  contains  no  equiva- 
lent for  the  verb  made  in  the  English 
Psalter.  It  has  only  the  transitive 
form  of  the  verb  hhasar,  to  be  less, 
and  the  most  literal  rendering  would 
be,  Thou  hast  lessened  him  but  a 
little  from  God.  We  may  then  re- 
gard the  following  verses  as  explana- 
tory of  this,  showing  that  the  "glory 
and  majesty"  in  the  poet's  mind  are 
not  in  man's  nature,  but  in  his  posi- 
tion relatively  to  the  irrational  world. 
To  the  brute,  man  is  its  supreme 
God,  not  even  a  little  lower  than  the 
Creator  of  all  things,  inasmuch  as 
in  man  it  sees  the  only  exhibition  of 
personal  intelligence  and  will  that  it 
is  capable  of  apprehending.  Un- 
doubtedly it  was  on  account  of  his 
superior  nature  that  this  dominion 
was  assigned  him,  but  the  direct 
allusion  in  the  Psalm  is  to  the  latter, 
and  not  to  the  former.  That  he  was 
"made  in  the  image  of  God,"  his 
spirit  the  breath  of  the  Almighty,  is 
the  unmentioned  solution  of  the  per- 
plexing question,  why  should  God 
have  conferred  this  honour  upon 
man? 


PSALM  IX.  23 

IX. 

THANKSGIVING  FOR  SUCCESS  IN  WAR. 

PSALMS  ix.  and  x.,  by  their  structure,  are  very  closely  related.  They 
are  the  first  of  the  so-called  Alphabetical  Psalms.  The  plan  proposed 
by  the  writer  evidently  was  that  the  two  unitedly  should  consist  of  twenty- 
two  four-line  strophes,  corresponding  with  the  letters  of  the  Hebrew  alpha- 
bet, and  that  each  strophe  should  begin  with  one  of  the  letters  in  their 
succession  from  Aleph  to  Tau.  See  cxix.  The  plan  is  regularly  executed 
in  thirteen  strophes,  in  eleven  partially  so,  but  in  the  middle  portion  of 
Psalm  x.  (3-11)  it  is  quite  lost  sight  of.  The  other  Psalms  of  this  kind  are 
xxv.  xxxiv.  xxxvii.  cxi.  cxii.  cxix.  and  cxlv.  Four  of  these,  including 
the  ninth,  are  ascribed  by  their  title  to  David,  in  which  most  interpreters 
agree.  This  must  include  the  Psalm  following,  for  besides  the  above 
structural  relation,  there  is  striking  similarity  in  language  and  style. 

Yet  there  are  convincing  indications  that  they  were  not  intended  to  be 
absolutely  one.  Their  prevailing  character  is  different;  Psalm  ix.  is  a 
thanksgiving  Psalm,  Psalm  x.  is  supplicatory.  In  the  former  the  person- 
ality of  the  poet  is  prominent ;  in  the  latter  it  is  kept  in  the  background. 
In  the  former  he  celebrates  the  defeat  of  foreign  foes  (Heb.  goyini),  the 
latter  is  directed  principally  against  apostates  and  persecutors  of  his  own 
nation  (Delitzsch).  Hitzig  describes  them  as  "two  co-ordinate  halves  of 
one  whole,  which  make  a  higher  unity."  In  both  Psalms  God  is  exhibited 
as  the  omnipotent  Ruler  and  Judge,  who  comes  to  the  earth  to  execute  His 
own  righteous  decisions. 

In  the  ninth  Psalm  David  speaks  as  the  royal  commander  of  the  armies 
of  Israel,  and  gives  praise  to  God  for  signal  victories  over  national  ene- 
mies. The  conflicts  to  which  he  refers  are  probably  those  recorded  in 
2  Sam.  x.  xi.  xii. 

1,  Joyful  thanksgiving;  the  defeat  and  ruin  of  enemies  (1-6).  2.  The  Judge \ 
•worthy  of  all  confidence  and  praise  (7-12).  8.  Prayer  for  himself  personally,  with 
renewal  of  praise  (13-16).  £.  A  call  for  such  complete  discomfiture  of  the  wicked  that 
•wrong  and  oppression  may  cease  from  the  earth  (17-20). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   SET  TO  "  MUTH  LABBEN."   BY  DAVID. 

1  With  all  my  heart  I  give  thanks  to  Jehovah ; 
I  rehearse  all  Thy  marvellous  works : 

2  In  Thee  I  rejoice,  yea,  exult, 

To  Thy  name  will  I  harp,  Thou  Most  High. 


24  THE   PSALMS. 

3  When  my  foes  were  repulsed, 

They  stumbled  and  perished  before  Thee ; 

4  Thou  upholdest  against  them  my  right  and  my  cause, 
Thou  sittest  enthroned,  and  wilt  righteously  judge. 

5  Thou  rebukest  the  nations,  destroyest  the  wicked, 
And  forever  and  alway  wilt  blot  out  their  name ; 

6  Our  foes  come  to  nought  in  ruin  enduring; 
Thou  hast  torn  up  their  cities, 

Yea,  of  these  has  the  memory  perished. 

7  For  Jehovah  forever  is  King ; 

And  for  judgment  He  set  up  His  throne. 

8  He  ever  in  righteousness  judges  the  earth : 
With  equity  rules  He  the  nations. 

9  That  the  troubled  may  find  in  Jehovah  a  refuge, 
A  refuge  in  times  of  sore  pressure ; 

10  And  that  knowing  Thy  name  they  may  trust  Thee ; 
For  Thy  seekers,  Jehovah,  Thou  wilt  never  forsake. 

1 1  Strike  the  harp  to  Jehovah  whose  throne  is  in  Zion  ; 
Tell  the  nations  His  glorious  deeds; 

12  For  the  Avenger  of  blood  has  remembered, 
He  forgets  not  the  cry  of  the  suffering. 

13  O  Jehovah,  have  pity;  behold  how  I  suffer  from  my  foes; 
For  Thou  broughtest  me  up  from  the  portals  of  death, 

14  That  so  I  may  tell  all  Thy  praise 

In  the  gates  of  the  daughter  of  Zion, 
And  exult  in  Thy  power  to  save. 

15  The  heathen  are  sunk  in  the  pitfall  they  made; 
Their  foot  has  been  caught  in  the  net  which  they  hid ; 

1 6  Jehovah  is  known  ;   He  dealeth  out  justice ; 

In  the  work  of  their  hands  are  the  wicked  ensnared. 

[Higgaion.     Selah.] 

17  To  the  world  of  the  dead  must  the  wicked  return, 
All  the  nations  forgetful  of  God : 

1 8  For  the  poor  are  not  always  forgotten, 
The  sufferer's  hope  is  not  lost  evermore. 


PSALM   IX. 


19  O  Jehovah,  arise;   let  not  mortals  prevail; 
Let  the  nations  have  judgment  before  Thee: 

20  Affright  them,  Jehovah, 

That  the  nations  may  know  they  are  men. 


(I,  2)  The  alphabetical  type  of  this 
Psalm  is  most  strongly  marked  at 
the  opening.  The  four  lines  of  the 
first  strophe  all  begin  with  Aleph. 
It  is  not  only  the  first  letter  of  the 
alphabet,  but  of  the  personal  pronoun 
am,  /,  and  as  such  it  stands  prefixed 
to  each  of  the  four  verbs.  The  suf- 
ferer comes  in  his  human  personality 
before  God,  addressing  Him  by  the 
Name  which  more  than  all  others 
exhibits  the  Divine  personality,  Je- 
hovah, the  "  I  AM  "  (Ex.  iii.  14).  It 
is  the  highest  privilege  of  man  on 
the  earth  to  enjoy  the  most  elevating 
and  strengthening  personal  relations 
and  intercourse  with  the  Father  of 
spirits. 

Yet  it  must  be  remembered  that 
this  Psalm,  like  most  of  the  others, 
was  prepared  for  the  public  worship 
of  God  in  the  great  congregation, 
and  that  often,  though  originating 
in  events  distressing  or  joyful  in  the 
life  of  the  individual  composer,  they 
immediately  exhibit  a  broader  scope, 
and  describe  conflicts  and  victories 
of  the  covenant  people  in  its  ideal 
unity.  The  apparent  reference  to  a 
single  man  is  maintained  by  the  use 
of  the  personal  pronoun,  but  it  is  a 
personified  multitude  that  is  speak- 
ing, with  one  heart  and  one  voice. 
The  perils  and  deliverances  depicted 
are  those  of  a  people  which  God  has 
taken  under  His  almighty  protection, 
against  the  hostile  and  crafty  nations 
of  the  world.  The  sufferer  is  Israel, 
and  the  ruthless  oppressor,  at  first  a 
combination  of  Philistines,  may  come 
to  stand  from  time  to  time  for  Nine- 
veh, Babylon,  or  whatever  heathen 
power  shall  become  prominent,  and 
then  for  all  combinations  of  evil 
against  the  servants  of  God  to  the 
end  of  time.  Mark  the  reference  to 


nations  and  cities  in  ver.  6,  which 
would  be  quite  unsuitable  if  the  sub- 
ject were  a  contest  of  man  with  man. 
See  note  upon  vii.  6. 

(5,  6)  These  verses  connect'  the 
recent  interposition  of  God  with 
similar  judgments  in  the  early  his- 
tory of  Israel.  They  remind  us 
especially  of  that  upon  the  Amale- 
kites  (Ex.  xvii.  14).  "  I  will  blot  out 
the  remembrance  of  Amalek  from 
under  heaven." 

(6)  Torn  up.  Heb.  nathash,  to 
uproot.  —  Yea,  of  these  has  the 
memory.  Heb.  their  memory,  they. 
The  emphatic  pronoun  they  refers  to 
the  cities,  which,  though  so  firmly 
built  as  to  be  compared  to  a  tree 
whose  roots  strike  deep  into  the 
earth,  shall  be  utterly  destroyed. 

(n)  Strike  the  harp.  See  on 
vii.  17.  — His  glorious  deeds.  Heb. 
'atiloth  (niy?,y)>  lit.  doings,  but  used 
elsewhere  of  God  with  reference  to 
distinguished  exploits  as  the  omni- 
potent Leader  of  Israel  (Ixxvii.  n, 
Ixxviii.  II,  ciii.  7). 

(12)  Avenger  of  blood,  Heb. 
doresh  damlm,  requiring  (satisfac- 
tion for)  bloodshed.  See  Gen.  ix.  5, 
xlii.  22  for  the  same  expression. 
This  was  among  the  duties  of  the 
nearest  relative  (Heb.  go1  el,  the  re- 
deemer}, who  was  hence  called  go1  el 
haddamlm,  the  redeemer  of  blood- 
shed; Num.  xxxv.  19. 

(17)  The  -world  of  the  dead. 
Heb.  sheoL  See  note  at  vi.  5. 

(19)  Mortals.     Heb.  'enSsA,  man 
in  his  weakness   (see   on  viii.  4), 
from  'anash,  to  be  sick  or  feeble,  in 
contrast  with  geber,  man  as  strong. 

(20)  Men.    The  same  word,  'enosh, 
the  mortal.    The  frailty  of  men  is 
here  brought  into  contrast  with  the 
power  of  God  that  terrifies  them. 


26  THE   PSALMS. 

X. 

AN  APPEAL  AGAINST  CRUELTY  AND  WRONG. 

THIS  Psalm,  though  structurally  related  to  the  preceding  (see  on  ix.), 
is  a  distinct  composition.  There  are  several  marked  differences. 
In  the  former  the  writer's  personal  sufferings  are  prominent;  here  he 
makes  no  reference  to  himself.  In  that,  we  have,  principally,  thanksgiving; 
in  this,  outside  the  descriptive  portion  (ver.  3-11),  supplication.  Again, 
Psalm  ix.  relates  distinctly  to  foreign  enemies,  Psalm  x.  apparently  to 
apostates  and  persecutors  at  home.  Yet  in  language  and  general  charac- 
teristics of  thought  they  are  very  similar.  Though  not  strictly  one,  they 
were  doubtless  companion  pieces.  The  tone  of  Psalm  x.  is  that  of  deep 
and  strong  moral  indignation  against  the  enormities  it  describes,  with  a 
terseness  and  energy  of  expression  that  are  hard  to  imitate  in  English. 

The  chief  difficulty  in  translating  this  Psalm  perspicuously  is  connected 
with  its  usual  reference  to  the  persecutor  and  his  victim  alike  in  the  singu- 
lar number,  whether  a  noun  is  used  or  a  pronoun.  The  antecedent  of  a 
pronoun  is  sometimes  doubtful,  especially  when  two  of  them  occur  in  the 
same  line  and  both  are  in  the  same  number.  See,  for  instance,  ver.  2, 
where  in  the  first  line  both  nouns  are  in  the  singular,  and  in  the  second 
the  pronouns  that  represent  them  are  they  .  .  .  they,  both  in  the  plural. 
Inasmuch  as  the  individual  represents  a  class,  it  seems  desirable  to  avoid 
confusion  by  retaining  the  singular  number  for  the  oppressor  and  using 
the  plural  for  the  oppressed,  in  every  clause  that  mentions  both. 

1.  The  poet  brings  before  God  in  a  forcible  description  the  cruelty  and  wrong  that 
are  ruthlessly  practised  by  the  arrogant  and  impious  (1-11).  2.  Jehovah  is  implored 
to  rescue  the  suffering,  and  to  show  that  He  knows  and  abhors  these  infamoiis  crimes 
(12-18). 

1  Why,  O  Jehovah,  wilt  Thou  stand  afar  off, 

And  why  hide  Thine  eyes  in  times  of  sore  trouble? 

2  Through  the  wicked  man's  pride  are  the  lowly  in  anguish, 
And  are  snared  by  the  wiles  he  devised. 

3  The  wicked  give  praise  for  the  greed  of  their  soul ; 
The  despoiler  contemning,  yet  blesses  Jehovah. 

4  The  wicked  man  says  with  an  arrogant  face, 

"  He  will  not  avenge ;  " 
"There  is  no  God,"  is  in  all  his  devices. 


PSALM   X.  27 

5  Bold  are  his  ways  at  all  times, 

Thy  judgments  on  high  are  out  of  his  sight, 
His  foes  —  he  puffs  at  them  all. 

6  He  says  in  his  heart,  "  I  cannot  be  shaken ; 
Through  age  after  age  no  mischance  shall  befall  me." 

7  Full  of  oaths  is  his  mouth,  of  deceptions  and  grinding; 
On  his  tongue  are  sorrow  and  wrong. 

8  He  lies  in  the  lookout  of  hamlets, 

In  the  coverts  he  slaughters  the  blameless ; 
For  the  wretched  his  eyes  are  in  hiding. 

9  In  ambush  he  lurks,  like  a  lion  in  his  lair, 

He  lurks  to  take  captive  the  lowly; 
He  captures  the  lowly,  drawn  in  with  his  net. 

10  They  are  crushed,  they  sink  down  — 
So  the  wretched  ones  fall  by  his  power. 

11  He  says  in  his  heart,  "God  will  not  remember; 
He  covers  His  face ;   He  never  will  see." 

12  Arise,  O  Jehovah  ;  O  God,  let  Thy  hand  be  lift  up ; 
Forget  not  the  suffering; 

13  Why  do  the  wicked  hold  God  in  contempt, 
And  say  in  their  heart,  Thou  wilt  not  avenge? 

14  Thou  hast  seen ;  for  Thou  lookest  on  trouble  and  grief, 

To  deal  out  with  Thy  hand ; 
With  THEE  the  wretched  one  leaves  it, 

The  orphan,  whose  help  Thou  becamest. 

1 5  Break  the  arm  of  the  wicked ; 

And  the  evil,  search  out  his  ill  deeds, 
Till  Thou  find  them  no  more. 

1 6  Jehovah  is  sovereign  forever  and  alway, 
The  heathen  pass  away  from  his  land. 


28 


THE   PSALMS. 


17  Thou  hast  heard,  O  Jehovah,  the  desire  of  the  lowly; 
Thou  wilt  make  their  heart  steadfast, 

And  attentive  Thine  ear, 

18  To  redress  the  orphan  and  oppressed, 

That  mortals  of  earth  may  strike  terror  no  more. 


(1)  Hide  Thine  eyes.    Heb.  hide. 
The  form  is  Hiphil,  and  transitive. 
It  is  only  used  elsewhere  of  hiding 
the  eyes  or  ears,  implying  neglect,  or 
refusal  to  help  (Is.  i.  1 5 ;  Lam.  iii.  56). 
In  the  text  we  supply  the  ellipsis. 

(2)  Wiles.       Heb.     m'zimmdth, 
crafty  and  destructive   plots.     The 
same  word  occurs  in  ver.  4,  and  is 
translated  devices. 

(3)  Give  praise.    Heb. /«//<?/.    A. 
V.,  R.  V.,  etc.,  boasteth.     But  it  is 
never  elsewhere  so  rendered,  except 
that  in  xliv.  8,  we  find  boasting  in 
God.     The  form  is  in  constant  use 
in  the  Psalms,  and  always  of  prais- 
ing God.     The  ellipsis  of  the  object 
presents  no    difficulty,    since    it    is 
supplied  after  the  paralletistic  verb 
"  blesses  "  in  the  following  line.  — 
The  greed.     Heb.  to1  avail,  desire; 
here  of  evil  desire,  as  in  cxii.  10.    But 
the  desire  is  put  by  metonymy  for  the 
object  of  desire,  as  now  attained,  as 
in  Ixxviii.  29,  etc.  — The  despoiler. 
A  participial  noun  in  the  qotel  form, 
in  parallelism  with  the  wicked  pre- 
ceding.    See  the  same  form  as   a 
concrete  noun  in  Prov.  i.  19,  xv.  27. 
—  Contemning,  yet  blesses  Jeho- 
vah.   Heb.  blesses  contemns.     Oth- 
er renderings  are  :    Perowne,    "  He 
blesseth  the   robber,    he    despiseth 
Jehovah" — taking  the   first    word 
of  the  clause  as  the  object   of  the 
verb  (so  A.  V.  with  Hupfeld,  Moll, 
etc.);  Delitzsch,  "The  covetous  re- 
nounceth  (and)  despiseth  Jehovah  " 
(so  R.  V.  with  Ewald,  Hitzig,  etc.)  ; 
Cheyne    renders    the   whole   verse, 
"  For  the    ungodly  praises  for  his 
soul's  desire,  and  robbing  he  blesses 
(but  contemns)  Jehovah."     This  is 
nearer  the  mark,  retaining  the  al- 
most invariable  meaning  of  the  two 
principal  verbs.     Although  the  verb 


barek  (usually,  blesses),  may  apply 
to  a  parting  salutation,  and  be  trans- 
lated renounces  (as  R.  V.  in  Job  i.  5, 
II,  ii.  5,  and  here),  this  signification 
is  infrequent  and  doubtful,  and  it 
occurs  nowhere  else  in  the  Psalms. 
It  seems  most  improbable  that  the 
two  words  hallel  and  barek,  used 
often,  and  always  in  the  Psalter,  of 
acts  of  worship,  should  stand  in  par- 
allelism in  the  same  verse  in  a  sense 
so  different.  Nothing  but  the  most 
cogent  exegetical  necessity  could 
warrant  this.  The  language  of  the 
poet  here  reminds  us  that  the  worst 
men  have  often  been  hypocritical 
worshippers,  covering  up  flagrant 
iniquity  by  their  sanctimonious  de- 
meanor and  long  prayers.  See  in 
Zech.  xi.  5  a  description  of  wicksd 
shepherds,  who  slay  the  flock,  saying, 
"  I  am  not  guilty,"  and  then  make 
merchandise  of  them,  and  as  they 
pocket  their  gains  cry,  J'  Bless  Jeho- 
vah, I  am  rich."  On  the  combina- 
tion blesses  despises  see  note  at  vi. 
10. 

(4)  Thou  wilt  not  avenge.  Heb. 
wilt  not  require,  —  that  is,  satisfac- 
tion in  punishment.  So  in  connec- 
tion with  crime  the  verb  darash 
comes  to  have  the  general  sense  of 
avenging  or  punishing.  Used  here 
and  in  ver.  13  with  special  reference 
to  murder.  See  note  at  ix.  12. 

(10)  They  are  crushed,  they 
sink  down  (of  the  oppressed) ;  or, 
He  crouches,  he  cowers  (of  the  op- 
pressor), as  of  a  wild  beast  about 
to  spring  on  his  prey  (so  R.  V.). 
This  is  on  the  supposition  that  the 
correction  of  the  Keri,  which  gives 
the  active  form,  is  to  be  preferred. 
The  fatal  objection  is  that  even  as  so 
corrected  the  verb  never  means  to 
crouch,  but  always  to  crush.  —  By 


PSALM   XI. 


29 


his   power.      Heb.    by   his   strong  Gesenius.    Ewald  considers  it  an  ab- 

(plur.),  leaving   the   substantive   to  stract  plural  noun  meaning  strength. 

be   supplied.     A.  V.  and  R.  V.,  by  So  the  Targum  and  Jerome.     This 

his  strong  ones.     Some  refer  the  ex-  we  prefer. 

pression  to  the  young  of  the  lions.  (18)  Mortals.    Heb.  ''enosh.    Man 

So  apparently  in  the  English  Bible,  as  frail  and  feeble.     See  ix.  19  and 

Others,  to  the  claws  and  teeth.     So  20,  and  the  note  there. 


XI. 

A  REFUSAL  TO  FLEE  IN  TIME  OF  GREAT  PERIL. 

THIS  Psalm,  like  the  tenth,  confidently  assures  the  ungodly  who  are 
executing  their  murderous  designs  under  cover  of  the  darkness,  that 
the  all-seeing  eye  of  Jehovah  is  upon  them.  The  life  of  David,  to  whom 
even  Hitzig  and  Ewald  ascribe  this  Psalm,  is  threatened.  The  pillars  of 
the  state  are  shaken.  The  timorous  friends  of  the  king  advise  him  to  flee 
to  the  mountains.  These  are  indications  of  the  time  when  the  rebellion  of 
Absalom  was  secretly  preparing.  Everything  indicated  a  speedy  outbreak. 
The  Psalm  hurries  on  with  a  swift  measure,  and  is  clear  in  the  principal 
thoughts,  but  it  is  not  free  from  difficult  points.  In  this  respect  it  resem- 
bles all  the  Psalms  that  contain  similar  obscure  allusions  to  the  inter- 
nal condition  of  Israel.  The  gloomy  condition  of  the  nation  seems  to  be 
reflected  in  the  very  language.  —  Delitzsch. 

1.    The  counsel  of  faint-hearted  friends  (1-3).    2.   He  justifies  the  confidence  in 
Jehovah  that  he  had  expressed  at  the  beginning  (4--7). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   BY  DAVID. 

1  In  Jehovah  I  hide  me ; 

How  vainly  ye  say  to  my  soul, 
"  Like  the  birds  make  escape  to  your  mountain ; 

2  For  their  bow  the  wicked  are  bending, 

And  their  arrow  they  fix  on  the  string, 
To  shoot  from  the  darkness  the  upright  in  heart : 

3  When  the  pillars  are  riven, 

Oh,  what  can  the  righteous  man  do?" 

4  Jehovah  in  His  palace  most  holy, 

Jehovah  in  heaven  has  His  throne ; 
With  His  eyes  He  beholds, 

With  His  eyelids  He  tries  the  children  of  men. 


30  THE   PSALMS. 

5  The  righteous, Jehovah  approves; 
But  the  wicked  and  lovers  of  outrage, 

He  hates  from  His  soul. 

6  He  will  rain  burning  coals  on  the  wicked, 
Brimstone  with  fire  and  a  blast  of  fierce  heat, 

Dealt  out  in  their  cup. 

7  For  Jehovah  is  righteous,  and  righteousness  loves ; 
His  face  the  righteous  alone  can  behold. 

(i)  Take  refuge.     See  on  ii.  12.  the  temple  here,  but  the  centre  of 

—  How  vainly.     Heb.  '<?£,  how;  an  majesty  and  power  in  heaven,  where 
exclamation  of  surprise  at  the  folly  the  King  of  kings  is  enthroned.    See 
of  the  proposal,  as  of  a  thought  that  xviii.  6,  xxix.  9. 

cannot  be  entertained  for  a  moment.  (5)  Approves.     The  verb  is  the 

—  Like  the  birds;  or,  O  ye  birds,  same  as  that  translated '"tries"  in  the 
The  verb  nusd  is  plural,  and    the  preceding  verse.    Both  the  righteous 
noun  is  a  collective,  the  plural  form  and  the  wicked  pass  under  the  scru- 
never  used.     There  is  no  particle  to  tiny  of  God  as  Judge.     But  in  the 
express  resemblance,  but  the  noun  case   of    the    righteous   the   testing 
may  be  translated  as  an  adverbial  proves  value,  and  becomes  an  ap- 
accusative,  bird-like.    The^meaning,  proving.    They  come  forth  from  the 
however,  is  substantially  tlie  same,  trial  as  pure  gold. 

Either  rendering,  by  a  formal  com-  (7)  Can  behold.     Heb.  y^hhezu. 

parison,  or  by  the  bold  metaphorical  This  verb  is  the  root  of  hhazdn  and 

vocative  Ye  birds,  expresses  the  help-  mahhazeh,  a  vision.     It  is  used  only 

lessness  of  birds,  and  their  readiness  of  seeing  God,  or  of  seeing  super- 

to  take  flight  at  the  slightest  appear-  naturally,  and  not  of  perception  by 

ance  of  danger.  the  physical  sense  of  sight. 
(4)  Palace.    See  note  at  v.  7.  Not 


XII.       \ 

HELP  IN  JEHOVAH  WHEN    FALSEHOOD  AND   OPPRESSION 

PREVAIL. 

PSALM  xi.  is  appropriately  followed  by  Psalm  xii.,  which  is  of  a  kin- 
dred character,  —  a  prayer  for  the  deliverance  of  the  poor  and  mis- 
erable in  a  time  of  universal  moral  corruption,  and  more  particularly  of 
prevailing  faithlessness  and  defiant  oppression.  The  inscription  points  us 
to  the  time  when  the  temple  music  was  being  established,  —  that  is,  the 
time  of  David,— incomparably  the  best  age  in  the  history  of  Israel,  and  yet, 
viewed  in  the  light  of  the  spirit  of  holiness,  an  age  so  radically  corrupt. 
The  true  people  of  Jehovah  were  even  then,  as  ever,  a  church  of  confessors 
and  martyrs,  and  the  sighing  for  the  coming  of  Jehovah  was  then  not  less 
deep  than  the  cry,  "Come,  Lord  Jesus,"  at  the  present  time. 


PSALM   XII.  31 

This  Psalm  xii.  (compare  in  this  respect  Psalm  ii.)  is  a  second  example 
of  the  way  in  which  the  Psalmist,  when  under  great  excitement  of  spirit, 
passes  over  into  the  tone  of  one  who  directly  hears  God's  words,  and  there- 
fore into  that  of  an  inspired  prophet.  Just  as  lyric  poetry  in  general,  as 
being  a  direct  and  solemn  expression  of  strong  inward  feeling,  is  the 
earliest  form  of  poetry,  so  psalm-poetry  contains  in  itself  not  only  the 
mashal,  the  epos,  and  the  drama,  in  their  preformative  stages,  but  pro- 
phecy also,  as  we  have  it  in  the  prophetic  writings  of  its  most  flourishing 
period,  has,  as  it  were,  sprung  from  the  bosom  of  psalm-poetry.  It  is 
throughout  a  blending  of  prophetical  epic  and  subjective  lyric  elements. — 
Delitzsch. 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   ON  THE  OCTAVE.   BY  DAVID. 

1  Help,  O  Jehovah,  for  the  loving  are  few, 
The  faithful  fail  from  the  children  of  men  ; 

2  Falsely  they  speak  every  man  to  his  neighbour, 
With  treacherous  lips  and  a  heart  that  deceives. 

3  Jehovah  destroy  all  the  treacherous  lips, 
The  tongue  that  is  speaking  so  proudly; 

4  Those  that  say,  "With  our  tongues  we  are  strong; 
Our  lips  are  our  allies ; 

Where  find  we  our  master?" 

5  "The  poor  are  oppressed,  the  needy  are  groaning; 
Therefore  now  will  I  rise,"  are  the  words  of  Jehovah, 

"The  safety  they  pant  for  I  give  them." 

6  The  words  of  Jehovah  are  words  without  dross ; 
They  are  silver  the  earth  has  assayed  as  a  furnace, 

Refined  seven  times. 

7  Yea,  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  wilt  save  them,  — 
From  this  generation  wilt  ever  preserve  them ; 

8  Though  the  wicked  on  every  side  walk  about, 
When  the  vile  are  raised  high  by  the  children  of  men. 

(i)  The  loving.      Heb.   hhasld;  (4)  Are  our  allies.    Heb.  'ittanu, 

here  used  in  its  active  signification  with  us,  —that  is,  on  our  side  as 

as  seen  by  its  parallelism  with  "  the  confederates. 

faithful"  in  the  following  line.    See  (5)  Heb.  Because  of  the  oppres- 

note  on  this  important  word  at  iv.  sion  of  the  poor .  .  .  now  will  I  arise. 

3.  Our  rendering  gives  the  precise  logi- 


THE   PSALMS. 


cal  equivalent.  —  The  safety  they 
pant  for  I  give  them.  Nearly  as 
the  marg.  of  the  R.  V.,  where  the  text 
has  "  I  will  set  him  in  safety  at  whom 
they  puff."  The  verb  here  translated 
puff  ex  pant  is  used  in  both  senses. 
It  expresses  a  violent  emission  of  the 
breath, — of  what  kind  is  determined 
by  the  connection.  We  have  had  it  in 
the  former  sense  at  x.  5.  But  there 
it  is  the  bold  and  defiant  puff  of  a 
proud  and  powerful  oppressor  against 
those  who  attempt  to  restrain  him, 
and  is  not  used  as  here  in  connec- 
tion with  relentless  pursuit  of  feeble 
victims  who  are  just  ready  to  faint 
and  expire.  In  this  case  a  puff  of 
proud  rage  is  quite  out  of  place  and 
the  other  signification,  adopted  in  the 
above  rendering  is  more  appropriate. 
(Similarly  Ewald,  Olsh.,  Hengst., 
Del.,  etc.)  It  is  used  of  the  panting 
of  great  haste  at  Hab.  ii.  3,  "  it  hast- 
eth  toward  the  end"  where  the  marg. 
has  "  Heb.  panteth"  Compare  the 
kindred  verb  sha'aph,  Ecc.  i.  5 ;  of 
the  sun  as  panting  to  complete  its 
circuit  round  the  earth. 

(6)  Words  of  Jehovah.  Heb. 
'amaroth,  the  fern.  plur.  form  of 
Corner  (1DN),  corresponding  with  the 
preceding  verb yomar  ("^LfcO),  saith. 
It  is  evident  that  the  allusion  is  not 
to  the  word  of  God  in  general,  as  the 
sense  is  given  in  our  English  Bible, 
but  to  the  promise  just  uttered  that 
He  will  deliver  the  poor  sufferer 
from  the  murderous  rage  of  the  un- 
godly. —  Words  -without  dross, — 
that  is,  without  the  dross  of  feeble- 
ness or  falsity,  the  poor  stuff  that  the 
promises  of  men  are  so  often  made  of. 
—  They  are  silver  tried  in  the  fur- 
nace of  the  earth.  A.  V.  "As  silver 
tried  in  a  furnace  of  earth."  R.V.  "As 
silver  tried  in  a  furnace  on  the  earth." 
The  renderings  of  the  A.  V.  and  R. 


V.  exhibit  the  views  of  leading  au- 
thorities. In  the  former  " earth"  is 
the  material  of  which  the  crucible 
for  refining  silver  is  made.  But  the 
question  is  asked,  Why  should  the 
material  be  mentioned  at  all  ?  and  a 
conclusive  objection  is  that  ''e'rets, 
the  earth,  could  never  be  used  to 
describe  anything  as  earthen.  The 
rendering  of  the  Revisers  exhibits 
the  furnace  as  standing  upon  the 
earth.  To  this  it  is  objected  that 
the  statement  that  a  furnace  for  puri- 
fying metal  is  placed  upon  the  earth, 
and  not  suspended  in  the  air,  seems 
so  unnecessary  as  to  be  hardly  pos- 
sible. It  is  conceded  by  those  who 
feel  obliged  to  accept  one  or  the  other 
of  these  renderings,  that  the  objec- 
tions to  both  are  very  considerable. 

The  solution  proposed  in  the  ren- 
dering we  have  adopted  is  that  Je- 
hovah's promise  of  succour  to  His 
persecuted  people  is  not  compared  to 
silver,  but  more  boldly  declared  to  be 
silver.  The  particle  "as"  is  not  in 
the  Hebrew,  but  has  been  inserted 
by  translators,  and  the  figure  is  not 
simile  but  metaphor.  This  gracious 
promise  of  a  faithful  God  is  silver 
that  has  been  tried  in  the  fire,  and 
found  to  be  thoroughly  trustworthy. 
It  is  not  the  trying  of  silver  in  a  fur- 
nace of  any  special  material,  or  in 
any  particular  position,  that  is  before 
the  mind  of  the  poet,  but  the  trying 
of  the  promises  of  God  to  His  suffer- 
ing people  in  a  furnace  seven  times 
heated,  and  that  furnace  is  the  earth 
inhabited  by  men  such  as  are  de- 
scribed in  vv.  3  and  4,  and  the  test- 
ing fires  are  the  fires  of  fierce  perse- 
cution that  they  have  kindled,  out  of 
which  the  precious  words  of  grace 
have  come  forth  thoroughly  tried  and 
proven  to  be  worth  more  than  "sil- 
ver seven  times  refined." 


PSALM  XIII.  33 

XIII. 

THE  SUPPLIANT  CRY  OF  ONE  IN  THE  LAST  EXTREMITY. 

THIS    Psalm,  in  contrast  with  Psalm  xii.,  is  personal.     It  seems  to 
belong  to  the  time  when  Saul,  after  long  and  unremitting  perse- 
cution,  set  watchers  to  hunt   David  from  place  to  place.     I  Sam.  xxii. 
22,  23,  etc. 

"  The  rapid  transition  of  feeling,  from  a  depth  of  misery  bordering  on 
despair  to  hope  and  even  to  joy,  is  very  remarkable."  —  Perowne. 

1.  A  complicated  questioning  ;  hope  struggling  against  despair  (1,2).  2.  Calmer 
supplication,  the  heart  already  somewhat  relieved  (3,  4)-  3.  Joyful  anticipation  of  a 
happy  issue  (5,  6). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  How  long  as  if  alway  will  Jehovah  forget  me  ? 
How  long  wilt  Thou  cover  Thy  face  with  a  veil? 

2  How  long  shall  my  soul  lay  its  plans, 

Yet  grief  fill  my  heart  through  the  day? 
How  long  shall  my  foes  be  exalted  above  me? 

3  Look  Thou,  and  answer,  Jehovah  my  God, 
Give  light  to  mine  eyes,  lest  I  slumber  in  death ; 

4  Lest  mine  enemy  say,  "  I  am  stronger  than  he," 
Lest  my  foe  should  exult  in  my  ruin. 

5  And  I,  in  Thy  love  is  my  trust, 

In  Thy  saving  power  myjieart  shall  exult; 

6  I  will  sing  to  Jehovah, 

Because  with  His  bounty  he  loads  me. 

(i)  Heb.  How  long  dost  Thou  for-  Prof.  Cheyne  suggests,  it  is  virtually 

get  me  forever?    The  apparent  con-  a  quotation  from  his  own  despairing 

tradiction  exhibits  the  conflict  within  thought  inserted  in  his  prayer.     Pe- 

between  hope  and  despair.     To  the  rowne  says,  "We  might  paraphrase 

tortured  soul  during  the  period  of  'How  long  wilt  Thou   make   as   if 

suffering  it  seems  as  if  its  misery  Thou  wouldest  forget  me  forever?"' 

could  never   end.      But   hope  still  adding  the  following  from  Delitzsch, 

looks,  at  whatever  distance  of  time,  "  God's  anger,  the  hiding  of  his  coun- 

for  a  return  of  God's  favour.    As  tenance,  cannot  but  seem  eternal  to 


34                                        THE  PSALMS. 

the  soul  that  is  conscious  of  it.   Nev-  One  project  after  another  has  "been 

ertheless   faith  still   cleaves  to  the  abandoned,  and  their  successive  dis- 

love  which   hides   itself   under  the  appointment  increases  the   anxiety, 

disguise  of  severity,  and   exclaims,  The  following  line,  relating  to  his 

'Though  He  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  grief  during  the  day,  implies  that  his 

in  Him.'  "     The  same  questioning  is  plans  were  made  in  the  night, 

found  in  Ixxiv.  10,  Ixxix.  5,  Ixxxix.  (3)  Give  light  to  mine  eyes, — 

46.     The  wailing  cry  is  drawn  out  not  referring   to   cheerfulness    and 

and  intensified  in  a  four-fold  '•'•how  hope,  arising  from  the  light  of  God's 

long?"     Shall  this  continue,forever,  countenance,  but  to  the  light  of  life 

forever,  forever  ?  (Ivi.  13)  in  contrast  with  the  dark- 

(2)  Lay   its  plans.     Heb.    How  ness  of  death  which  seems  to   be 

long  shall  I  put  (that  is,  set  up,  or  impending.      He    is    now    walking 

propose)   plans.      The   mention   of  "through  the  valley  of  the  shadow 

"plans,"  indefinite  in  number,  con-  of  death"    (see   note  at    xxiii.   4), 

nected  with   the  preceding    "  How  and  prays  that  the  darkness  of  the 

long,"  implies  that  plan  after  plan  shadow  may  not  end  in  the  deeper 

has  been  determined  upon,  and  as  darkness  of  the  reality, 

yet  all  have  been  found  unavailing.  (5)  In  Thy  love.    See  on  xxiii.  6. 


XIV. 

PREVAILING  CORRUPTION,  AND   LONGING  FOR  REDEMPTION. 

THE  lamentation  again  becomes  general.  "Both  in  this  Psalm  and  in 
Psalm  xii.  the  complaint  is  made  that  the  wicked  oppress  and  devour 
the  righteous.  In  both,  corruption  has  risen  to  its  most  gigantic  height. 
But  here  the  doings  of  bad  men,  there  their  words,  form  the  chief  subject 
of  complaint.  In  form  the  ode  is  dramatic  or  quasi-dramatic.  A  great 
tragedy  is  enacting  before  the  eyes  of  the  poet.  Sin  is  lifting  itself  up 
in  Titanic  madness  against  God,  and  God  looks  down  upon  its  doings  as 
once  upon  the  builders  of  Babel.  He  sees  utter  apostasy  (ver.  3) ;  He 
speaks  from  heaven  (ver.  4)  ;  and  evil-doers  are  confounded  at  the  word 
of  His  mouth  (ver.  5).  'It  would  scarcely  be  possible,'  says  Ewald,  'for  a 
great  truth  to  be  sketched  in  fewer  or  more  striking  outlines.'  "—Perowne. 
In  Psalm  liii.  this  Psalm  is  repeated  with  slight  variation  except  in  the 
substitution  of  the  Divine  Name  Elohim  for  Jehovah. 

1.  Atheism,  and  resulting  moral  corruption,  are  universal  (1-3}.  2.  The  Divine 
indignation  bursts  forth,  and  the  rapacious  oppressors  of  innocence  are  smitten  with 
terror  (4-6).  3.  A  longing  desire  for  the  redemption  of  Israel  (7). 

FOR   THE   LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      A   PSALM   OF   DAVID. 

I    "  There  is  no  God,"  saith  the  fool  in  his  heart; 
They  all  are  corrupt,  yea,  are  vile  in  their  deeds ; 
There  are  none  that  do  good. 


PSALM   XIV.  35 

2  Jehovah  looks  forth  out  of  heaven 

On  the  children  of  men, 
To  see  whether  any  are  wise, 

Whether  any  are  seeking  for  God. 

3  They  are  all  gone  astray ; 

All  alike  they  are  loathsome  ; 
There  are  none  that  do  good, 
No,  not  even  one. 

4  Do  none  of  them  know, 

These  whose  works  are  so  evil? 
They  feed  on  my  people,  as  if  feeding  on  bread ; 
Jehovah,  they  call  not  upon  Him. 

5  They  were  there  in  great  fear, 

For  the  race  of  the  righteous  have  God  on  their  side. 

6  Ye   would   fain  bring  to  nought   the   plans  of  the 

righteous, 
But  they  hide  in  Jehovah,  their  refuge. 

7  Oh  that  salvation  for  Israel  might  come  out  of  Zion  ! 
When  Jehovah  returns  to  His  people  in  bondage, 

Let  Jacob  be  joyful,  let  Israel  be  glad. 

(2)  Looks  forth.  Heb.  shdkaph,  sepulchre  "  stooping  and  looking  in  " 
lit.  to  bend  forward ;  principally  of  (R.  V.),  where  the  two  English  par- 
leaning  over  from  a  height  for  closer  ticiples  are  required  to  exhibit  the 
observation  of  objects  of  absorbing  meaning  of  the  single  Greek  word ; 
interest;  so  of  the  men  approaching  and  I  Pet.  i.  12,  of  the  angels  as  de- 
Sodom,  as  looking  down  upon  the  siring  to  look  into  the  revelation  of 
doomed  city  (Gen.  xviii.  16,  xix.  28);  grace  in  the  Gospel, — that  is,  to  bend 
so  of  the  anxious  mother  of  Sisera,  down  with  eager  and  observant  eyes, 
as  looking  out  from  the  lattice  and  that  they  may  see  and  understand  it 
crying,  "  Why  is  his  chariot  so  long  all. 

incoming?"  (Judges  v. 28).    Most  im-  (4)  Do  none   of  them   know? 

pressive  is  Ps.  cii.  19,  of  Jehovah,  as  or,  Do  not  they  all  know  ?     In  Heb. 

"looking  [lit.  bending]  down   from  usage  «//,  as  the  subject  or  object  of 

His  sanctuary  to  hear  the  sighing  of  a  verb  accompanied   by  a  negative 

the  prisoner,  and  to  loose  those  ap-  particle,  is  often  equivalent  to  none. 

pointed  to   death."      This  graphic  Here  the  negative  seems  to  connect 

verb  has  its  precise  counterpart, both  closely  with  the  verb;  are  they  all 

in  the  primary  and  the  secondary  ignorant?    The  question  involves  a 

sense,  in  the  Greek  irapaKinrTa.     See  burst  of  moral  indignation,  withering 

especially  John  xx.  5,  of  Peter  at  the  and  blasting  those  who  have  commit- 


THE   PSALMS. 


ted  these  shocking  enormities.  It 
expresses  surprise  at  their  moral  ob- 
tuseness,  men  whose  lives  are  filled 
with  injustice  of  the  most  flagrant 
and  oppressive  kind,  apparently  not 
able  to  distinguish  between  good  and 
evil.  The  second  line  is  subordinate, 
and  descriptive  of  the  wickedness 
referred  to.  They  consume  their 
daily  food,  and  fatten  upon 'acts  of 
cruel  rapacity,  as  if  the  two  were 
equally  innocent.  Heb.  They  eat  My 
people,  they  eat  bread.  It  is  not 
strange  that  such  men,  already  de- 
scribed (ver.  i)  as  saying  in  their 
heart,  "  there  is  no  God,"  should  not 
worship  Jehovah.  This  is  a  step 
beyond  the  hypocritical  worship  of 
x.  3. 

(7)  Returns  to  His  people  in 
bondage.  Heb.  Vsh&b  Y'hovah 
sh'buth  ''ammo.  Lit.  returns  to  the 
bondage  of  His  people.  The  Heb. 
shub  sWbuth  occurs  elsewhere  in  the 
Psalms  at  liii.  6,  Ixxxv.  I,  cxxvi.  I,  4. 
In  the  earlier  Books  we  find  it  only 
in  Deut.  xxx.  3  and  Job  xlii.  10,  and 
in  both  figuratively,  of  misery  of  any 
kind.  In  the  Prophetic  Books  it  oc- 
curs twenty-four  times,  and  always 
of  literal  captivity.  The  earlier  in- 
stances are  sufficient  to  show  that 
its  occurrence  in  this  Psalm,  or  any 
other,  does  not  prove  it  to  have  been 
written  after  the  Babylonish  Exile. 
In  all  the  places  the  English  Bible 
renders  the  verb  transitively,  usually 
bring  back  (or  again)  the  captivity 
etc.  In  the  plain  meaning  of  the 
English  phrase  it  can  only  describe 
the  recurrence  of  captivity  after  hav- 
ing escaped  from  it.  But  this  cannot 
be  the  signification  of  the  Hebrew. 
Happily  the  context  in  most  cases 
compels  the  reader  to  take  it  in  the 
opposite  sense,  of  delivery  from  cap- 
tivity, which  corresponds  with  his- 
toric fact,  whatever  be  its  merits  as 
a  translation.  The  explanation  usu- 
ally given,  is  that  the  abstract  noun 
captivity  is  used  by  metonymy  for  the 
concrete  captives,  who  are  described 


as  brought  back.  This  would  suit 
most  cases,  but  not  the  two  earliest, 
which  clearly  refer  to  the  condition, 
and  not  to  \h^  persons  who  are  in  that 
condition.  No  explanation  that  fails 
to  cover  all  the  instances  can  be  ad- 
mitted. The  difficulty  is  serious,  and 
can  only  be  relieved  by  correcting  the 
translation  of  the  verb.  The  case  is 
simply  this.  There  are  two  princi- 
pal forms  of  the  verb;  shub  (as  here), 
which  is  intransitive,  to  return,  and 
hashib,  transitive,  to  cause  to  return, 
or  bring  back.  The  former  occurs 
in  the  6.  T.  more  than  800  times,  and 
is  always  elsewhere  intransitive,^'^ 
the  rarest,  if  any,  exceptions.  Heng- 
stenberg  (on  Ps.  xiv.  7,  and  in  his 
Beitrage}  maintains  that  there  are 
none.  The  lexicons  assign  to  it  the 
transitive  sense  bring  back,  or  return, 
only  in  Num.  x.  36,  Ps.  Ixxxv.  4,  and 
Nah.  ii.  2.  But  in  these  the  intransi- 
tive return  to  is  at  least  as  suitable 
to  the  context,  and  much  to  be  pre- 
ferred. Schroeder  claims  that  shub 
occurs  as  transitive  in  Ezek.  xlvii.  7 
(so  Briggs),  but  his  grounds  are  in- 
sufficient, and  the  intransitive  render- 
ing of  the  A.  V.  is  very  properly  re- 
tained in  the  R.  V.  The  remark 
should  be  added,  that  while  the  prep. 
W  (to)  might  be  attached,  the  form 
shub  is  construed  directly  with  the 
ace.  in  Gen.  i.  14,  Ex.  iv.  20,  Num.  x. 
36,  and  especially  see  Is.  Hi.  8,  Vshub 
Vhovah  tstyon,  'when  Jehovah  shall 
return  unto  Zion.'  In  all  the  places 
where  the  phrase  under  considera- 
tion occurs,  Jehovah's  return  to  His 
people  under  their  sufferings,  implies 
the  restoration  of  His  favour  in  all 
gracious  manifestations,  including 
their  release  from  captivity.  He  had 
forsaken  them  in  displeasure,  and 
comes  back  to  them  in  mercy.  The 
meaning  is  broader  and  deeper  than 
that  afforded  by  taking  the  verb  in  its 
transitive  sense.  It  suits  Job  xlii.  10, 
as  well  as  the  later  passages,  and  the 
difficulty  stated  at  the  beginning  of 
this  note  entirely  disappears. 


PSALM  XV.  37 

XV. 

A  WELCOME  GUEST  IN  GOD'S  HOUSE. 

DAVID  was  no  doubt  the  author.  A  later  date  cannot  be  maintained, 
for  the  temple  is  not  yet  built.  The  first  verse  brings  us  to  Mount 
Zion,  and  exhibits  the  tabernacle  (Heb.  tent)  as  still  standing. 

This  Psalm  is  very  similar  to  Psalm  xxiv.,  which  was  composed  in  con- 
nection with  the  removal  of  the  ark  to  Zion.  The  same  question  is  there 
asked,  but  the  answer  is  shorter,  and  more  general.  Ewald  suggests  that 
this  Psalm  is  later,  and  was  composed  with  the  express  design  of  portray- 
ing the  character  of  an  acceptable  worshipper  more  in  detail  and  with 
greater  impressiveness. 

The  description  consists  of  eleven  points,  all  contained  in  the  Divine 
law,  though  not  confined  to  that  of  Sinai.  They  are  such  as  might  fairly 
be  considered  tests  of  moral  worth,  in  view  of  the  prevailing  vices  of  that 
time. 

There  is  no  reference  to  sacrifice,  or  any  ceremonial,  as  securing  accept- 
ance with  God.  But  these  are  not  disparaged,  nor  is  the  conception  of 
true  religion  in  the  mind  of  the  writer  confined  to  morality  without  ordi- 
nances of  worship.  On  the  contrary,  the  opening  question  implies  a  place 
upon  the  Holy  Mountain  where  God  welcomes  His  guests  to  the  enjoy- 
ment of  these  ordinances.  The  question  is  raised  in  order  to  exclude  men 
whose  lives  are  wicked  and  hypocritical  from  coming  to  the  sanctuary  and 
altar,  with  the  superstitious  idea  that  these  appointments  of  worship  have 
some  mystical  virtue  to  secure  impunity  and  acceptance  for  falsehood,  im- 
purity, and  wrong.  It  is  a  reiteration  in  other  form  of  Ps.  v.  4,  "  Thou  art 
not  a  God  that  hast  pleasure  in  sin,  neither  shall  evil  be  a  guest  with  Thee." 
It  is  implied  that  to  the  true,  the  pure,  and  the  loving,  God's  holy  court 
with  its  sacred  rites,  is  a  place  of  privilege,  honour,  and  blessing. 

God*  s  favoured  guest  is  described:  1.  In  his  general  character,  the  outward  and  the 
inward  (2).  2.  In  his  conduct  toward  his  neighbour  (3).  3.  In  his  loathing  of  evil, 
and  faithful  performance  of  vows  (4).  £•  In  his  charity  and  integrity  (5). 

A   PSALM   OF   DAVID. 

1  Who  may  be  a  guest  in  Thy  tent,  O  Jehovah, 
Or  who  find  a  home  on  Thy  consecrate  hill? 

2  He  whose  walk  is  blameless,  whose  doings  are  right, 
And  j:he  thought  of  whose  heart  is  the  truth. 


THE   PSALMS. 


3  No  slanderous  word  will  he  take  on  his  tongue, 

No  ill  will  he  do  his  companion, 
No  shame  will  he  cast  on  his  neighbour. 

4  In  his  eyes  the  vile  are  contemned ; 

Those  that  reverence  Jehovah  he  honours ; 
He  may  swear  to  his  harm,  but  he  swerves  not. 

5  His  money  he  gives  where  he  looks  for  no  gain; 

He  receives  no  bribe  'gainst  the  guiltless ; 
He  that  doeth  these  things  shall  never  be  shaken. 


(1)  May  be  a  guest.     Heb.  ya- 
gur.     See  on  v.  4. 

(2)  Whose  walk  is  blameless, 
etc.     In  the  Hebrew  idiom,  which  is 
carried  into  the  N.  T.,  the  walk  is  the 
life  in  its  prevailing  purpose,  tenor, 
and  direction,while  the  following  term 
(doings)  refers  to  single  acts.  —  The 
thought    of   -whose    heart.     Heb. 
speaks  truth  in  his  heart.     What  is 
said  in  the  heart,  in  distinction  from 
the  utterance  of  the  lips,  is  clearly 
denned  thought  (see  x.   u,  xiv.  i, 
xxxix.  i,  3).     The  language  of  the 
Psalmist  here  describes  one  whose 
thoughts  and  purposes  are  guileless 
and  sincere,  who  is  true  to  the  centre 
and  core  of  his  nature.     In  his  heart 
there  are  no  delusions  or  subterfuges. 
He  is  honest  to  God  and  to  himself, 
as  well  as  to  his  neighbour.     This  is 
a  deeper  truthfulness  than  that  which 
merely  refrains  from  false  speaking 
and  fraudulent  dealing,  where   the 
motive  may  be  other  than  a  genuine 
love  of  truth. 

(5)  His  money  he  gives  -where 
he  looks  for  no  gain.  Heb.  kaspo  Id 
nathan  tfneshek.  Lit.  his  money  he 
gives  not  on  interest.  At  this  point 
in  the  Psalm  the  Anglo-American 
Revisers  were  in  some  perplexity. 
For  neshek,  rendered  usury  in  the 
A.  V.,  means  interest.  Originally 
this  was  no  mistranslation,  for  in  the 
time  of  King  James  the  two  words 
were  equivalent.  By  the  Jewish  law 
it  was  forbidden,  within  certain  limi- 
tations, to  take  interest,  even  at  the 
lowest  percentage.  It  was  counted 


an  unjust  and  oppressive  exaction, 
as  much  so  as  unreasonably  high 
rates  are  now.  In  the  earlier  pas- 
sages this  is  clear  from  the  context, 
but  it  is  less  so  in  the  Psalm.  Yet 
the  Revisers  were  of  opinion  that  the 
rendering  of  the  English  Bible  fairly 
represents  the  spirit  of  the  prohibi- 
tion, and  that  more  would  be  lost 
than  gained  by  literalness.  But  a 
comparison  of  the  parallel  passages 
from  the  Pentateuch  with  the  lan- 
guage of  the  Psalter,  suggests  a 
change  here  which  not  only  allows, 
but  requires,  the  plainest  expres- 
sion of  the  non-requirement  of  any 
interest  whatever.  The  legal  back- 
ground of  this  item  of  the  descrip- 
tion is  Lev.  xxv.  35-37.  This  is  a 
fuller  statement  of  the  earlier  com- 
mand in  Ex.  xxii.  25,  and  is  there- 
fore the  principal  passage.  It  refers 
distinctly  to  a  brother  that  is  "waxen 
poor."  The  positive  side  is  given  in 
ver.  35,  "thou  shalt  surely  uphold 
him ;  "  that  is,  as  immediately  ex- 
plained, give  him  money  and  food. 
The  following  direction  is  negative, 
but  it  implies  the  preceding  positive, 
"  thou  shalt  give  him  money,  but  not 
upon  interest."  It  will  be  observed 
that  the  wording  in  Leviticus  and  in 
the  Psalm  are  identical,  except  that 
the  "thou  shalt  give  "  of  Moses  be- 
comes "he  gives  "  in  David.  There 
is  a  later  law  in  Deut.  xxiii.  19,  20, 
on  the  right  of  requiring  interest, 
which  expresses  the  same  general 
idea,  but  in  different  language :  "  thou 
shalt  not  exact  from  (lit.  bite)  thy 


PSALM  XVI.  39 

brother,  whether  interest  (biting)  of  kindliness,  not  taking  advantage  of 
money,"  etc.  We  infer  that  the  the  necessities  of  a  neighbour  for 
Psalmist's  mind  was  upon  the  former,  their  own  enrichment.  As  to  for 
It  is  really  a  quotation,  with  the  eigners,  they  were  usually  traders 
slight  change  in  person  and  tense  who  would  borrow  to  enlarge  their 
required  by  the  context.  Every  Is-  capital  for  greater  gain,  and  might 
raelite  would  think  of  it  as  referring  reasonably  be  expected  to  pay  inter- 
to  the  relief  of  the  poor,  as  an  im-  est  upon  loans, 
portant  characteristic  of  the  accepta-  For  these  reasons  it  seems  very 
ble  worshipper.  The  Deuteronomic  clear  that  we  have  in  the  Psalm  an 
law  forbade  that  interest  should  be  extract  from  Leviticus,  confining  the 
required  of  any  Israelite,  but  per-  reference  to  the  poor,  and  that  the 
mitted  it  from  foreigners.  The  dif-  change  in  position  of  the  negative 
ference  lies  in  the  agricultural  life  of  particle,  glancing  at  the  positive  side 
the  people.  Trade  was  discouraged,  of  the  obligation,  is  wholly  warranted, 
as  involving  contaminating  inter-  This  is  one  of  the  places  where  in 
course  with  the  heathen.  It  was  justice  to  the  material  of  which  the 
assumed,  that  in  their  simple  domes-  text  was  constructed  and  which  does 
tic  life,  a  loan  would  be  asked  only  not  appear  on  the  surf  ace,  the  thought 
in  connection  with  some  temporary  must  be  translated,  rather  than  the 
need.  They  must  live  in  practical  words. 


XVI. 

JEHOVAH,  HIS  PORTION  AND  HIS  JOY  IN  LIFE  AND  IN  DEATH. 

THIS  Psalm  is  decidedly  and  in  every  aspect  by  David.  It  cannot  be 
assigned  with  certainty  to  any  special  time  in  his  life.  Its  profession 
of  unlimited  trust  in  Jehovah  derives  peculiar  impressiveness  from  its  hav- 
ing been  written  in  imminent  danger  of  death.  "  He  rises  to  the  grand 
thought  of  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  of  the  glory  and  blessedness 
that  await  the  faithful  in  the  unseen  world.  In  the  glory  of  this  vision  the 
language  transcends  the  expectation  of  David,  or  any  early  king  of  the  Jews, 
and  awaits  its  fulness  of  meaning  in  the  Messiah,  the  Lord's  Anointed  of 
the  second  Psalm,  the  true  Son  of  God,  and  King  of  kings." 

The  Apostle  Peter,  speaking  by  inspiration,  distinctly  declares  (Acts 
ii.  30,  31)  that  David  here  spoke  as  a  prophet,  and  that  he  foresaw  and 
testified  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ. 

There  are  three  strophes :  1.  An  emphatic  avowal  of  absohite  confidence  in  God, 
and  an  earnest  protest  against  idolatry  (1-4.).  2.  The  happiness  and  sectirity  of  the 
man  who  has  Jehovah  as  his  portion  (5-8).  3.  An  expression  of  joyous  hope  in  the 
immediate  prospect  of  death  (9-11). 

MICHTAM   OF  DAVID. 

1  Preserve  me,  O  God, 

For  in  Thee  I  take  refuge : 

2  I  say  to  Jehovah,  "  Thou  art  my  Lord ; 

I  have  nought  that  is  good  beside  THEE." 


40  THE   PSALMS. 

3  And  I  say  to  the  holy  tribes  of  the  land, 

To  the  eminent  nation  in  which  I  have  all  my  delight ; 

4  "  Many  their  woes  that  pay  dowry  to  idols ; 
I  will  not  pour  out  their  libations  of  blood, 

Nor  lift  up  their  names  on  my  lips." 

5  O  Jehovah,  dealt  out  as  my  portion  and  cup, 
By  sure  title  I  hold  Thee  mine  own ; 

6  Amid  pleasures  the  lines  have  determined  my  share, 
Yea,  a  goodly  possession  is  mine. 

7  I  bless  Jehovah  who  giveth  me  counsel, 
By  night,  too,  my  longings  incite  me. 

8  I  have  set  Jehovah  before  me  forever, 

With  Him  at  my  right,  I  shall  not  be  o'erthrown. 

9  So  my  heart  is  rejoicing,  my  spirit  exults, 
My  flesh,  too,  abideth  securely ; 

10  For  Thou  wilt  not  abandon  my  soul  unto  death, 

Nor  let  him  whom  Thou  lovest  consume  in  the  grave. 

1 1  Thou  wilt  show  me  the  pathway  to  life  — 
In  Thy  presence  is  fulness  of  joy, 

At  Thy  right  hand  are  pleasures  eternal. 

(1)  Take    refuge.     See  note  on  all-sufficient  good,  that  satisfies  the 
ii.  12.     He  refers  here  to  a  past  act  deepest  cravings  and  the  highest  as- 
that  has  resulted  in  present  and  per-  pirations  of  his  rational  and  immor- 
manent  security.     This  first  clause  tal  nature,  which  is  itself  the  breath 
contains  germinally  the  thought  of  of  the  life  of  God  (Gen.  ii.  4),  and 
the  entire  Psalm.  can  find   its   blessedness  and  rest 

(2)  I  say  to  Jehovah.    The  verb  only  in  Him. 

is  apparently  in  the  2d  person  fern.,  (3, 4)  The  rendering  of  our  text  is 

but  is  better  taken  as  a  defective  an  attempted  solution  of  a  recognized 

form  of  the  ist  person,  ''amart  for  crux  interpretuin. 

'amartt,  as  in  cxlii.  12,  Job  xlii.  2,  The  first  difficulty  lies  in  the  con- 

etc.  —  I  have  nought  that  is  good  struction  of  liqdoshim  at  the  begin- 

beside  Thee.     Lit.  My  good  (that  ning  of  ver.  3.     The  principal  views 

which  I  find  and  enjoy  as  good)  is  are  the  following :  — 

not  upon  (that  is,  in  addition  to,  or  I.  That  the  prep.  V  introduces  an 

beside)  Thee.     This  is   his   reason  independent  proposition  and  should 

for  preferring  Jehovah  to  all  others  be  translated, "  with  respect  to"   The 

who  might  be  regarded  as  having  a  principal  objections  are :  (a)  That  it 

claim  to  his   service  and  worship,  ignores  any  close  relation  between 

There  is  a  latent  reference  to  idols  this  verse  and  the  preceding,  such  as 

and  their  worshippers,  presently  to  we  should  certainly  expect;  (b)  That 

be   mentioned   (ver.   4).      He  pos-  it  compels  us  to  find  as  the  new  pro- 

sesses  in  Jehovah  the  absolute  and  position,  "All  my  delight  is  in  them," 


PSALM   XVI. 


which  is  surely  too  poor  and  flat  to 
follow  the  grand  avowal  that  pre- 
cedes ;  (c)  That  it  involves  an  in- 
surmountable grammatical  difficulty; 
^addire  is  in  the  construct  state, 
which  is  here  limited  by  a  clause 
that  in  uniform  Hebrew  usage  is 
relative,  and  can  only  be  translated 
by  the  relative  pronoun.  See  Is. 
xxix.  i ;  Ges.  Gr.  116.  3.  The  stat. 
const,  is  never  used  for  the  stat.  absol. 
It  is  true  that  this  difficulty  may  be 
avoided  by  the  translation,  "They 
are  the  noble,"  etc.  But  the  preced- 
ing "and,"  and  the  absence  of  the  de- 
monstrative pronoun,  preclude  this, 
as  Delitzsch  admits  in  his  proposed 
alteration  of  the  text.  See  below. 

2.  The  second  view  of  the  con- 
struction is  that  the  /'  before  q'dd- 
shim  means  united  to  or  associated 
with  the  saints.    (So  Hengst,  Hupf., 
Moll,   etc.)      But  such  association 
would  not  be  so  loosely  and  doubt- 
fully  expressed.     No  parallel  case 
can  be  found. 

3.  The  simplest  and  most  proba- 
ble view  of  the  construction  is  that 
liqddshlm  and  the  preceding  layeho- 
vah  are  coordinate,  and  both  subor- 
dinate to  'amart,  I  say;  the  Psalmist 
first  declaring  to   Jehovah  that  he 
looks  to  Him  for  all  good,  and  then 
turning  to   his  fellow   worshippers 
with  some  appropriate  declaration. 

The  principal  difficulty  lies  in  de- 
termining what  the  declaration  is. 
Moll,  who  adopts  No.  2,  says  that 
the  construction  now  suggested  is 
grammatically  unassailable,  but  has 
little  correspondence  with  the  course 
of  thought  of  the  Psalm,  and  is  for- 
eign to  its  prevailing  tone  of  prayer. 
This  objection  would  be  valid  and 
fatal,  if  we  were  compelled  to  adopt 
his  own  view  of  the  following  con- 
text. Delitzsch  finds  the  utterance 
sought  for  in  the  second  line  of  the 
same  verse.  But,  discovering  no 
possibility  of  an  adequate  thought  in 
the  Hebrew  text  as  it  stands,  he 
adopts  a  new  text,  transferring  the 
conjunction  "  and  "  to  the  beginning 
of  the  preceding  line,  and  changing 


the  accentual  division  of  the  verse, 
so  as  to  bring  the  pronoun  hemah 
into  this  latter  line.  This  enables 
him  to  extract  the  following  transla- 
tion :  — 

"  And  to  the  saints  who  are  in  the  earth, 
These  are  the  excellent,  in  whom  is  all  my 
delight." 

But  this  could  be  said  of  the  saints, 
rather  than  to  them,  and  the  sug- 
gested change  in  the  text  is  not  war- 
ranted by  the  result.  For  the  sense 
thus  gained  does  not  seem  suffi- 
ciently elevated  and  important  to 
correspond  with  the  preceding  ad- 
dress to  Jehovah.  Nor  does  it  fit  in 
with  the  general  tenor  of  the  Psalm, 
which  asserts  throughout  Jehovah's 
claim  to  the  undivided  homage  and 
confidence  of  His  favoured  people. 

It  seems  to  be  assumed  by  all,  that 
a  suitable  utterance  must  be  found  in 
ver.  3,  if  anywhere.  At  least  no  one 
has  proposed  that  the  search  be  car- 
ried into  the  next  verse.  Ewald,  in- 
deed, makes  ver.  3  subordinate  to 
ver.  4.  ("The  saints  who  are  in  the 
land,  and  the  nobles  who  have  all  my 
love,  Many  are  their  idols,"  etc.) 
But  his  exegesis  of  the  latter  fails  to 
do  justice  to  its  contents,  and  he  does 
not  recognize  its  coordination  to  the 
declaration  to  Jehovah  in  ver.  2. 

In  the  view  embodied  in  our  new 
rendering,  3  b  is  parenthetical,  but 
very  important  as  giving  weight  to 
the  affirmation  that  follows  it,  as  will 
presently  be  shown.  The  affirmation 
seems  to  be  free  from  textual  and 
grammatical  difficulties  and  inhe- 
rently more  probable,  and  at  the 
same  time  corresponds  with  the  ad- 
dress to  Jehovah  and  the  scope  of 
the  Psalm. 

In  order  to  make  the  construction 
clearer, "  I  say  "  of  ver.  2  is  repeated 
in  ver.  3.  The  connective  vav  at 
the  beginning  of  the  second  line, 
which  only  attaches  a  further  de- 
scription of  "the  holy,"  is  virtually 
appositional,  as  often  elsewhere, 
especially  in  poetic  parallelism.  It 
might  be  translated  "  even,"  but  it  is 
as  well  omitted. 


THE   PSALMS. 


The  scope  of  the  section  may  be 
thus  developed.  The  Psalmist  first 
declares  his  personal  confidence  in 
Jehovah  as  the  absolute  good,  and 
alone  to  be  worshipped  and  adored ; 
and  then  turning  to  his  country- 
men, who  had  been  peculiarly  dis- 
tinguished by  Divine  favour,  he  pro- 
tests against  idolatry,  as  dishonour- 
ing God,  and  fruitful  in  misery  to 
all  that  practise  it,  and  expresses  a 
determination,  in  which  he  might 
reasonably  expect  them  to  join, 
never  to  defile  his  hands  or  his 
lips  with  worship  so  derogatory  to 
the  God  of  Israel. 

Surely  this  protest  and  declaration 
are  grand  enough  to  stand  in  this 
place,  and  they  prepare  the  way  for 
the  fervid  appeal  in  expansion  of  the 
leading  thought,  "I  have  nought 
that  is  good  beside  Thee,"  that 
sweeps  through  the  Psalm  to  its 
very  close. 

A  few  words  yet  need  to  be  said 
about  the  third  verse.  Why  this 
parenthesis,  postponing  the  expected 
utterance,  and,  some  might  think, 
encumbering  the  sentence  by  un- 
necessary words  ?  On  the  contrary, 
it  is  full  of  meaning  and  force.  It 
reminds  them  of  two  things,  which 
should  shame  them  out  of  every 
idolatrous  thought,  and  bind  them 
forever  to  God's  service.  First,  the 
Israel  he  addresses  is  a  "holy  na- 
tion "  (Ex.  xix.  6,  Deut.  vii.  6,  xiv.  2); 
a  people  set  apart  by  the  distinguish- 
ing favor  of  their  covenant  God,  as 
His  own.  For  the  word  "  holy"  here 
does  not  refer  to  individual  purity 
and  goodness,  as  if  he  were  address- 
ing the  holy  in  distinction  from  the 
wicked  among  his  own  countrymen, 
but  to  the  whole  people  as  separated 
from  and  exalted  above  all  the  na- 
tions of  the  earth  by  their  relation  to 
God.  He  therefore  has  claims  to 
their  undivided  homage  that  should 
never  be  forgotten.  Secondly,  they 
dwell  in  a  goodly  land,  a  rich  heri- 
tage, for  which  they  are  indebted  to 
his  special  favour.  For  the  Hebrew 
is  peculiar  here.  It  is  not  simply 


qedoshim  ba'arets,  a  lightly  defining 
genitive,  about  equivalent  to  my  fel- 
low-countrymen, or  (as  Ewald)  re- 
ferring to  those  who  were  then  at 
home,  in  distinction  from  himself,  an 
exile.  It  forms  a  separate  relative 
clause,  with  the  subject  hemah  (these} 
thrown  forward  under  the  heavy  ac- 
cent "  who  in  the  land  these ;  "  as  if 
laying  stress  upon  their  exclusive 
and  permanent  possession  of  that 
land,  in  connection  with  God's  claim 
upon  them,  which  he  now  asserts. 
If  they  are  a  "  holy  people,"  this  is  a 
holy  land.  It  is  His  gift,  to  be  held 
by  their  descendants  to  the  latest 
generation  under  special  promise  of 
His  gracious  presence  and  blessing. 
As  sacred  soil,  to  defile  it  by  idola- 
try is  simply  monstrous. 

The  added  expression  of  his  per- 
sonal delight  in  them  comes  in  only 
incidentally,  giving  greater  impres- 
siveness  and  tenderness  to  the  admo- 
nition, as  prompted  by  his  loving 
wish  that  they  should  not  bring  upon 
themselves  miseries  unmeasured  by 
forgetting  God  their  Redeemer. 

If  we  are  right,  then  the  protest 
and  plea  that  follow  come  out  with 
tenfold  cogency  by  this  emphatic 
allusion  to  God's  special  claims,  and 
the  rhetorical  and  logical  value  of 
the  interruption  by  parenthesis  is 
very  great.  The  solution  proposed 
binds  together  the  first  four  verses, 
and  suggests  the  natural  division  of 
the  Psalm  into  three  strophes,  1-4, 
5-8,  9-1 1. 

(5)  Dealt  out  as  my  portion, 
Heb.  my  portion  of  lot,  that  is,  the 
portion  that  has  fallen  to  me  by  lot. 
—  Sure  title.  Heb.  possession  of 
lot.  Hhelql  in  the  first  line  of  the 
verse,  and  gorali  in  the  second  line 
are  synonyms,  meaning  primarily, 
the  stone  used  in  casting  lots,  and 
then  the  lot  itself  as  a  mode  of  distri- 
bution. The  force  and  beauty  of  the 
poet's  allusion  are  quite  unintelligi- 
ble under  a  literal  rendering.  Our 
translation  gives  a  slight  glimpse  of 
the  significance  of  the  lot  in  connec- 
tion with  the  ownership  of  property 


PSALM   XVI. 


43 


in  the  rendering  '•'•sure  title"  rather 
than  the  literal  "possession  by  lot."_ 
There  is  evident  allusion  to  the 
distribution  of  land  by  lot  at  the 
first  settlement  of  Canaan.  Each 
family  in  Israel  by  the  command  of 
God  received  its  portion  by  the  cast- 
ing of  the  lot.  The  result  was  not 
regarded  as  fortuitous,  but  as  dis- 
posed and  determined  by  God  Him- 
self. In  each  case  the  portion  was 
accepted  as  a  direct  Divine  gift.  It 
was  to  be  held  in  inalienable  posses- 
sion through  all  time.  A  creditor 
might  establish  a  claim  to  temporary 
possession,  but  in  the  fiftieth  year  it 
must  go  back  to  the  original  owner. 
No  title,  therefore,  could  be  stronger, 
no  claim  more  sure  and  permanent, 
than  that  which  was  thus  acquired. 
In  the  case  of  the  Psalmist  the  pro- 
perty acquired  and  possessed  as  an 
inalienable  gift  was  not  a  fair  estate 
on  the  productive  Israelitish  terri- 
tory, but  the  great  God  Himself,  to 
be  his  own  God  forever. 

(6)  Amid  pleasures  the  lines 
have  determined  my  share.  Heb. 
the  lines  have  fallen  to  me  in  pleas- 
antnesses, referring  to  the  measur- 
ing lines  by  which  the  boundaries 
of  each  owner  were  defined.  The 
common  use  of  these  words  in  con- 
nection with  worldly  success  is  a 
perversion  of  the  thought  of  the 
Psalmist,  which  results  from  not  ob- 
serving the  close  connection  between 
the  fifth  and  sixth  verses.  —  Is  mine. 
This  is  emphatic,  contrasting  his  own 
blessed  portion  with  that  of  others 
who  rejoice  in  pleasant  homes  and 
fertile  fields,  property  of  great  value 
in  the  estimation  of  men.  But  what 
is  their  lot,  if  they  have  only  this, 
compared  with  that  of  the  man  who 
can  say,  Thou  art  my  portion,  O 
God? 


(7)  My  longings.  Heb.  my  reins. 
In  the  Hebrew  psychology  the  reins, 
or  kidneys,  were  the  seat  of  the  deep- 
est and  strongest  desires  and  affec- 
tions that  control  our  nature,  which 
must  now  be  otherwise  expressed  in 
order  to  be  intelligible.  It  is  not  the 
reason,  or  the  conscience,  of  which 
the  poet  is  speaking,  but  that  inner- 
most function  of  his  being  that  ap- 
prehends God  as  his  portion  and  his 
joy,  and  longs  after  Him  with  in- 
tense desire.  By  night  upon  his  bed 
this  irresistibly  impels  him  to  ex- 
press his  confidence  and  hope  in  the 
living  and  faithful  God.  See  Job 
xix.  27,  where  the  reins  are  the  seat 
of  ardent  desire  and  hope. 

(9)  My  spirit.  Heb.  my  glory  ; 
referring  to  his  immortal  nature,  as 
in  vii.  6. 

( i  o)  Unto  death.  Heb./fc.S'to/, 
the  place  into  which  the  spirit  passes 
when  it  leaves  the  body  (see  on  vi.  5), 
and  so  it  involves  the  broad  idea  of 
death  as  a  condition.  It  is  some- 
times elsewhere  personified  as  an 
evil  power  that  gains  the  mastery 
over  the  man.  See  xviii.  5. —  Him 
Thou  lovest.  Heb.  Thy  hhasid. 
See  note  at  iv.  3.  —  To  consume  in 
the  grave.  Heb.  to  see  the  pit.  As 
in  xlix.  10,  its  equivalent  is  to  suffer 
death,  to  have  a  full  personal  expe- 
rience of  the  power  of  death  and  the 
grave.  It  therefore  involves  the  idea 
of  corruption,  although  the  meaning 
corruption  for  the  noun  here  used 
must  be  given  up.  The  Septuagint 
rendering,  as  used  by  the  Apostle 
Peter  in  Acts  xiii.  35-37,  is  true  to 
the  thought,  if  not  an  absolutely  lite- 
ral rendering  of  the  words.  On  the 
contrary,  in  Hebrew  usage,  as  contin- 
ued in  the  N.  T.,  to  see  life  is  to  ex- 
perience and  enjoy  it ;  Eccl.  ix.  9, 
John  iii.  36. 


44  THE   PSALMS. 

XVII. 

PRAYER  FOR  HELP  AGAINST  UNRIGHTEOUS  PERSECUTORS. 

ALL  careful  interpreters  have  noticed  the  striking  similarity  at  many 
points  between  this  Psalm  and  the  sixteenth.  It  touches  not  only 
single  characteristic  words,  but  variations  in  style  and  structure,  echoing 
the  writer's  frame  of  mind.  Especially  the  ruggedness  and  harshness  of 
the  language,  and  difficult  structure  of  sentences  in  parts  where  his  soul 
was  wrought  up  in  intense  moral  indignation,  as  for  instance  against  idola- 
try in  xvi.  3,  4,  and  against  the  flagrant  profligacy  of  his  enemies  and  of 
the  wicked  in  general  in  xvii.  13,  14.  It  is  especially  to  be  noticed  that 
these  two  Psalms  express  in  their  closing  sentences  the  same  blessed  hope 
of  joy  hereafter  in  the  presence  of  God,  and  of  beholding  His  glory. 

The  descriptions  of  the  Psalm  are  in  remarkable  correspondence  with 
David's  situation  when  persecuted  by  Saul,  especially  when  pursued  and 
hemmed  in  by  the  forces  of  Saul  in  the  wilderness  of  Maon ;  I  Sam. 
xxiii.  25. 

The  prayer  is  threefold:  1.  That  God  will  hear  the  right  (1-5).  2.  That  He  will 
defend  the  faithful  (G-12] .  8.  That  He  will  disappoint  the  persecutor  (13-15). 

A  PRAYER   OF  DAVID. 

1  Hear  the  right,  O  Jehovah, 

Attend  to  my  wailing,  give  ear  to  my  prayer, 
For  it  comes  not  from  lips  that  deceive. 

2  Let  my  sentence  go  forth  from  Thy  presence, 
And  on  deeds  that  are  just  let  Thine  eyes  be  intent. 

3  Thou  earnest  by  night,  and  hast  proven  my  heart ; 
Thou  hast  tried  me,  and  findest  no  planning  of  evil, 

And  transgression  is  not  in  my  mouth. 

4  In  the  doings  of  men,  by  the  word  of  Thy  lips, 
I  have  noted  the  paths  of  the  oppressor ; 

5  My  steps  have  held  firm  to  Thy  footprints, 

I  walk  with  unwavering  tread. 

6  And  I,  because  Thou  wilt  answer  me,  call  Thee,  O  God ; 
Incline  Thine  ear  to  me,  hear  Thou  my  plea. 


PSALM  XVII.  45 

7  Show  Thy  marvellous  kindness, 

Thou  Saviour  of  those  that  take  refuge 
In  Thy  right  hand  from  all  their  assailants. 

8  As  one  guardeth  his  eyeballs,  protect  me ; 
In  Thy  shadowing  wings  let  me  hide 

9  From  my  wicked  destroyers, 

From  the  foes  in  their  hate  that  surround  me. 

10  Their  gross  heart  they  have  closed, 
With  their  mouth  they  speak  proudly; 

11  In  our  steps  they  are  now  round  about  us, 
Their  eyes  they  have  fastened  upon  us, 

And  would  fain  bring  us  down  to  the  earth. 

12  Like  a  lion  they  are  eager  to  raven, 

Like  the  young  of  the  lion  that  lurk  in  the  jungle. 

13  Arise,  O  Jehovah,  confront  and  subdue  them; 
Save  my  life  by  Thy  sword  from  the  wicked, 

14  From  men  by  Thy  hand,  O  Jehovah,  the  men  of  the  world, 

Who  in  life  have  their  portion : 
Thou  fillest  their  greed  with  Thy  treasures ; 
They  have  sons  and  are  satisfied, 

Wealth,  too,  they  leave  to  their  children. 

1 5  But  I  on  Thy  face  shall  in  righteousness  gaze ; 
When  I  awake,  I  will  feast  on  Thy  form. 

(3)  The  text  is  somewhat  doubt-    whose  life  in  the  pride  of  his  strength 
ful.    The  sense  given  is  obtained  by     is  full  of  outrage  and  injury. 

a  change  in  the  accentual  division  of  (6)  And   I,  because,  etc.    The 

the  verse,  which  is  now  generally  ad-  emphatic  pronoun ;    he  founds   his 

mitted  to  be  erroneous.    If  the  Mas-  expectation  of  being  heard  on  his 

soretic  division  is  retained,  the  best  personal  experience  in  the  past, 

rendering  is  that  of  Delitzsch,  —  (10)  Their    gross    heart.      Heb. 

"  Thou  hast  tried  me,— Thou  findest  nothing  their  fatness ;  fig.  for  a  heart  that  is 

If  I  think  evil,  it  doth  not  pass  my  mouth."  covered  with  fat,  and  that  becomes 

The  rendering  of  the  A.  V.  cannot  be  insensible  to  all  noble  emotions ;  of 

maintained.     The  word    translated  those  whose   hearts  are  closed  by 

"  I  am  purposed  "  can  only  be  a  noun,  their  own  selfish  will ;  compare  Ixxiii. 

and  it  cannot  express  an  act  of  the  7  and  cxix.  70. 

will,  but  is  always  used  of  plotting  or  (14)  Greed.     Heb.  belly.  —  They 

planning  in  an  evil  sense.  have  sons  and  are  satisfied.    A.  V. 

(4)  I  have  noted.  Heb.  shamartl,  who  are  full  of  children.     Heb.  yis- 
I  have  kept  before  me,  that  is,  noted  be^u  banlm.     The  primary  significa- 
that  I  might  avoid  them.  —  The  op-  tion  of  the  verb  is  to  be  full;  but 
pressor.    Lit.  the  violent  man,  one  when  used  of  men,  usually  to  be  sat- 


46  THE   PSALMS. 


ed)  describing  here  the  common  with  the  voluntative  termination  ah; 

desire  of  men  of  wealth  to  have  heirs  lit.  will  fill  myself  with.  —  Thy  form. 

to  their  name  and  possessions.  He  anticipates  a  visible  manifesta- 

(15)  But  I.  The  pronoun  is  em-  tion  of  the  Divine  glory,  which  shall 

phatic,  exhibiting  the  contrast  in  constitute  the  brightness  of  heaven. 

both  members  of  the  verse  between  The  rendering  of  the  A.  V.  retained 

himself  and  those  he  has  been  de-  by  the  R.  V.,  with  thy  likeness,  is 

scribing.  —  Gaze.  Heb.  hhazah,  a  ambiguous  and  misleading.  It  may 

fixed  and  eager  look,  as  on  an  object  mean,  and  many  so  understand  it, 

fascinating  and  delightful;  especially  with  Thy  likeness  impressed  upon 

of  seeing  God.  See  text  and  note  myself,  —  with  being  like  7$<?<?(comp. 

at  xi.  7.  —  When  I  awake,  —  the  I  John  iii.  2).  But  the  parallelism 

awaking  to  a  new  life,  as  contrasted  forbids  this.  Thy  face,  in  the  first 

with  the  life  in  this  world,  in  which  line,  and  Thy  form,  in  the  second, 

the  others  have  their  portion  (ver.  14).  are  equivalent.  The  same  word  is 

In  the  Old  Testament,  as  in  the  New,  used  of  a  manifestation  of  the  Divine 

death  is  a  sleep,  after  which  there  glory  to  men,  referring  to  Moses,  in 

must  be  an  awaking  to  joy  and  bless-  Num.  xii.  8  :  "  The  form  of  the  Lord 

edness.  —  Will  feast  on.  Heb.  shall  he  behold,"  —  alluding  to  Ex. 

'esVah  (nyDBttOi  the  imperfect  tense  xxxiii.  18-23. 


XVIII. 

A  MEMORIAL  HYMN,   RECOUNTING  GREAT  DANGERS  AND 
WONDERFUL  DELIVERANCES. 

THIS  is  a  hymn  of  praise  after  deliverance  from  deadly  perils.  It  is 
also  found  with  slight  verbal  alterations  at  2  Sam.  xxii.,  in  connec- 
tion with  that  part  of  David's  history  that  is  mentioned  in  the  title.  The 
writer  of  the  Books  of  Samuel  found  it  already  in  existence  as  a  song  of 
David.  Its  composition  probably  belongs  to  his  later  life.  It  is  evidently 
a  thankful  retrospect  of  God's  wonderful  dealings  with  him,  referring  espe- 
cially to  the  time  when  his  life  was  most  beset  with  dangers,  — his  bitter  and 
protracted  persecution  by  Saul,  his  expulsion  from  his  throne  and  king- 
dom by  Absalom,  and  the  fierce  foreign  wars  that  distracted  him  for  a  long 
time  thereafter.  But  from  all  these  he  had  been  graciously  delivered,  and 
from  a  peaceful  old  age  he  now  looks  back  with  wonder  and  gratitude. 
He  combines  the  whole  of  that  stormy  past  in  one  idealized  and  glowing 
picture.  In  the  imminent  peril  described,  he  gives  us  the  concentration 
of  many  perils,  and  in  his  description  of  a  gracious  interposition,  the  con- 
centration of  repeated  interpositions,  brought  to  a  common  focus  at  which 
they  are  seen  as  one,  with  corresponding  intensity.  In  the  poet's  imagina- 
tion it  is  a  Theophany,  a  visible  exhibition  of  the  presence  and  power  of  the 
great  Jehovah  in  behalf  of  His  servant,  in  such  extremity  that  nothing  less 
than  this  could  have  saved  him.  His  style  is  majestic,  his  conceptions 
vivid,  and  his  language  graphic.  It  has  been  well  said  that  this  wonderful 


PSALM   XVIII.  47 

composition  bears  the  marks  of  the  classic  age  of  Hebrew  poetry.  With 
the  exception  of  the  matchless  sixty-eighth  Psalm,  it  has  no  rival  in  this 
whole  collection. 

The  constant  shifting  from  one  to  the  other  of  the  two  principal  tense 
forms  has  given  some  trouble  to  translators,  in  their  inclination  to  regard 
the  perfect  tense  as  relating  to  the  past,  and  the  imperfect  to  the  present 
or  future.  The  events  depicted  are  all  in  the  actual  past,  and  might  have 
been  so  presented.  But  the  poet  adds  greatly  to  the  intensity  and  interest 
of  his  picture  by  throwing  himself  into  the  midst  of  the  stirring  incidents 
of  the  past,  and  frequently  describing  them  as  if  they  were  in  the  present. 
In  the  former  part  of  his  description  he  freely  intermingles  the  two  forms 
of  the  verb.  But  in  transferring  his  conceptions  to  another  language,  we 
are  compelled  to  avoid  confusion,  as  between  ideal  and  actual  time,  by 
using  generally  the  historic  tense.  Yet  even  we,  in  animated  narration, 
often  so  far  idealize  as  to  describe  past  events  as  if  now  passing  before 
us  in  succession,  and  without  creating  the  slightest  embarrassment.  This 
prepares  us  for  the  continuous  use  of  our  own  present  tense,  as  best  repre- 
senting the  Hebrew  imperfect,  from  ver.  24  to  the  close. 

1.  Affection  and  confidence  growing  out  of  personal  experience  presently  to  be 
described  (1-3).  2.  He  is  in  peril,  he  cries  to  God  and  is  heard  (4-6).  3.  God  ap- 
pears in  his  behalf  in  earthquake  and  tempest  (7-15).  4-  His  deliverance ',  and  its 
connection  with  his  previous  life  as  approved  by  God  (16-23).  5.  God  is  righteous  and 
faithful  (24-30).  6.  A  further  recital  of  God's  gracious  aid  against  his  enemies 
(31-4-5).  7.  Fervent  blessing  for  the  help  afforded \  and  vows  of  thanksgiving  and 
praise  among  the  nations  (46-50). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.  BY  THE  SERVANT  OF  JEHOVAH,  BY 
DAVID,  WHO  SPAKE  TO  JEHOVAH  THE  WORDS  OF  THIS  SONG 
WHEN  HE  DELIVERED  HIM  FROM  ALL  HIS  ENEMIES,  AND  FROM 
THE  HAND  OF  SAUL;  AND  HE  SAID: 

1  Dearly  do  I  love  Thee,  Jehovah,  my  strength,  — 

2  Jehovah,  my  fortress,  my  cliff,  my  deliverer, 

My  God,  and  my  rock  upon  which  I  take  refuge, 
My  buckler,  my  tower,  and  the  horn  that  has  saved  me. 

3  I  call  on  Jehovah,  all  worthy  of  praise, 
And  He  gives  me  escape  from  my  foes. 

4  The  breakers  of  death  raged  about  me, 
Destruction's  strong  torrents  dismayed  me ; 

5  The  spirit-world's  cords  were  engirdling, 
Confronting  me,  snares  laid  by  death. 

6  In  my  anguish  I  called  on  Jehovah, 

I  cried  to  my  God  for  His  help ; 


48  THE   PSALMS. 

From  His  palace  He  heeded  my  voice, 
For  my  cry  to  Him  came  to  His  ears. 

7  Then  the  earth  was  sore  shaken  and  trembled, 

The  hills  were  convulsed  to  their  base ; 
And  because  He  was  angry  they  swung  to  and  fro. 

8  A  smoke  mounted  up  from  His  nostrils, 

A  fire  that  consumed  from  His  mouth, 
And  thereby  bright  flames  were  enkindled. 

9  He  bended  the  heavens,  and  came  down, 
And  thick  darkness  was  under  His  feet. 

10  He  rode  on  a  cherub  and  flew, 
Swept  along  on  the  wings  of  the  wind ; 

11  He  made  darkness  His  covering, 

His  screen  round  about  Him, 
Darkness  of  waters,  dense  clouds  of  the  sky; 

12  Out  the  darkness  before  Him, 

And  through  His  dense  clouds, 
There  came  hailstones  and  flashes  of  fire. 

13  Jehovah  then  thundered  from  heaven, 
The  Most  High  then  uttered  His  voice, 

With  hailstones  and  flashes  of  fire. 

14  He  shot  forth  His  arrows  and  scattered  them, 

Lightnings  abundant  dismayed  them  ; 

15  The  deep  bed  of  the  sea  could  be  seen, 

The  base  of  the  world  was  laid  bare 

At  Thy  threatening,  Jehovah, 
At  the  blast  of  the  breath  of  Thy  nostrils. 

16  He  reached  from  on  high,  and  He  grasped  me, 
From  great  waters  He  drew  me ; 

17  From  my  mightiest  foe  He  delivered, 
From  mine  enemies  stronger  than  I. 

1 8  In  my  day  of  sore  pressure  they  faced  me, 
But  Jehovah  became  my  support ; 

19  He  brought  me  forth  into  room  unconfined, 
For  in  me  He  delighted  and  saved  me. 


PSALM   XVIII.  49 

20  Jehovah  rewards  as  He  findeth  me  righteous, 
He  regards  my  cleanness  of  hands  in  His  sight ; 

21  For  the  way  of  Jehovah  I  kept, 

And  I  have  not  by  sin  gone  astray  from  my  God. 

22  For  all  His  commands  were  before  me, 
His  statutes  I  put  not  away ; 

23  And  I  thus  became  blameless  before  Him, 

I  abstained  from  my  sin. 

24  So  Jehovah  rewards  as  He  findeth  me  righteous, 
And  seeth  my  hands  to  be  clean ; 

25  With  the  loving,  Thou  showest  Thee  loving ; 
With  the  perfect,  Thou  showest  Thee  perfect ; 

26  With  the  pure,  Thou  showest  Thee  pure  ; 
With  the  stubborn,  Thou  showest  Thee  firm ; 

27  For  Thou,  a  lowly  people  Thou  savest, 
But  arrogant  eyes  bringest  low. 

28  For  only  through  Thee  doth  my  lamp  give  its  light, 
Jehovah  my  God  illumines  my  darkness; 

29  For  through  Thee  do  I  rush  on  a  troop, 
Through  the  help  of  my  God  do  I  leap  over  walls. 

30  As  for  God,  without  spot  is  His  way ; 

The  word  of  Jehovah  is  tried  as  by  fire  ; 
A  shield  He  becomes  unto  all  that  take  refuge  in  Him. 

3 1  For  who  is  a  God  save  Jehovah, 
Or  who  is  a  rock  save  our  God,  — 

32  The  God  that  so  girds  me  with  strength, 
That  I  bound  without  harm  on  my  way  ; 

33  Gives  me  feet  like  the  feet  of  a  hind, 
And  makes  me  stand  firm  on  my  heights. 

34  My  hands,  too,  He  trains  for  the  battle  ; 
And  I  bend  the  steel  bow  with  mine  arm. 

35  Thou  givest  me  also  Thy  shield  of  salvation, 
Thy  right  hand  upholds, 

And  Thy  lowliness  exalts  me. 
4 


50  THE   PSALMS. 

36  Thou  makest  beneath  me  full  space  for  my  steps, 
And  my  feet  do  not  falter ; 

37  I  pursue  and  come  up  with  my  foes, 
I  return  not  before  I  destroy  them ; 

38  When  I  smite  them  they  cannot  arise, 
But  helpless  fall  under  my  feet. 

39  Thou  hast  girt  me  with  strength  for  the  battle, 
Mine  assailants  Thou  bringest  beneath  me  ; 

40  Through  Thee  do  I  seize  on  my  fleeing  foe, 
And  mine  enemies  wholly  destroy; 

41  They  cry,  but  find  no  one  to  save  them, 
To  Jehovah,  but  He  gives  them  no  answer ; 

42  I  crush  them  like  dust  in  the  wind, 
Pour  them  out  like  the  mire  in  the  street. 

43  From  the  strife  of  the  people  hast  Thou  placed  me  in  safety, 
At  the  head  of  the  nations  hast  placed  me ; 

I  am  served  by  a  people  I  knew  not ; 

44  When  first  their  ear  hears  they  obey  me, 
And  men  of  strange  lineage  come  cringing ; 

45  Men  of  strange  lineage  are  withering  away, 

They  come  forth  from  their  strongholds  with  trembling. 

46  Jehovah  hath  life,  ever  blessed  my  Rock, 
And  exalted  be  God,  my  salvation,  — 

47  The  God  who  gives  vengeance, 

And  makes  nations  submit  to  my  rule ; 

48  Who  from  enemies  saves  me, 

Yea,  exalts  me  above  mine  assailants, 
My  deliverer  from  violent  men. 

49  For  this,  O  Jehovah, 

Midst  the  nations  high  praise  will  I  give  Thee, 
And  the  music  of  harps  shall  resound  to  Thy  Name ; 

50  Who  showeth  His  king  His  great  power  of  salvation, 
And  His  kindness  to  David,  His  anointed, 

To  him  and  his  offspring  forever. 


PSALM   XVIII. 


(1)  Dearly  do  I  love  Thee.   Heb. 
''erhhamkd,  imperf.  of  rdhham.   This 
word  in  its  intensive   form  (Piety, 
and  its  derivative  noun  rdhham,  de- 
scribe God's  love  for  man  in  its  most 
tender  and  gracious   aspect.     The 
radical  meaning  of  the  verb  is  to  be 
soft;  then,  as  in  the  Arabic,  to  cher- 
ish, to  soothe,  as  a  child.    It  so  comes 
to  describe  tender  and  sympathetic 
feeling.     It  most  nearly  approaches 
the  Greek  oropyi),  natural  affection, 
the   yearning  tenderness  of  parent 
for  child.     Having  its  roots  in  deep 
sympathy,  it  takes  its  hue  from  the 
condition  of  its  object.     As  expres- 
sive of  God's  tenderness  for  men  as 
weak  and  suffering,  it  takes  the  form 
of  compassion.    It  is  used  in  ciii.  13, 
"as  a  father pilieth,"  and  in  Is.  xlix. 
15,  "a  mother  hath  compassion."1"1    It 
may  well  express  the  reflex  filial  af- 
fection, but    so    occurs    here   only. 
Yet  not  in  the  same  intensive  form 
does  this  child  of  God  here  use  it  to 
express  his  tender  affection  for  his 
Divine  Father.     And  here  the  con- 
ditions are  changed.     There  is  no 
room  for  compassion,  for  the  Father 
is  strong  and  blessed  forevermore. 
But  the  yearning  tenderness  is  there, 
and   utters   itself  in   this   beautiful 
word.     The  verb  "love"  that  has  to 
serve  for  so  many  words  that  have  no 
equivalent  in  Hebrew  and  Greek,  is 
not  sufficiently  expressive  here  with- 
out   an    intensifying    adverb.     The 
rendering  adopted  above  is  that  of 
the  Geneva  Bible. 

(2)  My  cliff.     Heb.  sifta'  Qfrti),  a 
cliff 'or  crag,  formed  by  cleavage,  and 
consequently    steep,    precipitous,  — 
usually  the  reference  is  to  inaccessi- 
bility, and  so  safety,  as  lifted  above 
danger  (see  xl.  2),  but  sometimes  to 
a  cleft  or  a  hiding-place  in  the  high 
rock.  —  And   the   horn    that   has 
saved  me.     Heb.  my  horn  of  salva- 
tion.    The  "horn"  is  an  image  of 
victorious    strength,    derived    from 
animals  that  depend  on  their  horns 
for  protection;  see  Deut.  xxxiii.  17; 
i  Sam.  ii.  i.    Frequent  in  the  Psalms. 

(4,  5)  The  breakers,  as  in  2  Sam. 


xxii.  5 ;  unquestionably  the  original 
text,  suiting  "  torrents  "  in  the  paral- 
lelism and  avoiding  the  improbable 
occurrence  of  "  cords  "  in  two  suc- 
cessive verses. — Destruction.  Heb. 
beliydal  (Sir^)'  usually  of  moral, 
but  here  01  physical,  worthlessness ; 
death  as  destroying  the  substance. 
Comp.  Is.  xiv.  9 :  "  Sheol  stirreth  up 
the  Rephaim."  A.  V.  the  dead;  lit. 
the  weak  ones,  the  shades ;  also  xlix. 
14  :  "  Their  form  shall  be  for  Sheol 
to  consume."  "  Destruction  "  here, 
and  Sheol,  the  spirit-world  in  ver.  5, 
are  both  in  parallelism  with  "death" 
as  a  condition  into  which  men  pass 
when  they  cease  from  the  earth,  and 
its  nearest  equivalent.  In  ver.  5 
death  and  Sheol  are  personified  as 
hunters  capturing  their  prey. 

(6)  His  palace.  See  note  at  v. 
7;  also  at  xi.  4,  where,  as  here,  the 
reference  is  to  God's  dwelling-place 
in  heaven. 

(8-10)  The  appearance  of  Jeho- 
vah for  the  deliverance  of  His  ser- 
vant is  here  symbolized  by  the  ac- 
tivity of  great  natural  forces,  earth- 
quake and  tempest,  the  heavy  clouds 
sinking  toward  the  earth,  and  from 
them  burning  flames  leaping  forth,  as 
symbols  of  the  hot  wrath  of  God,  the 
consuming  terrors  of  the  Almighty. 

(10)  If  by  a  comparison  of  pas- 
sages like  civ.  3,  and  Is.  Ixvi.  15,  we 
understand  David  according  to  the 
description  of  Ezekiel,  He  rides  upon 
the  cherub  as  His  living  throne-cha- 
riot. The  throne  floats  upon  the  che- 
rubim, and  the  cherub-throne  sweeps 
forward  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind. 
The  manager  of  the  chariot  is  God 
Himself,  hidden  behind  the  thick 
thunder-clouds.  —  Delitzsch. 

(12)  Flashes  of  fire.     Heb.  fiery 
coals,  that  is,  the  lightnings  flashing 
like  blazing  coals. 

(13)  Thundered.     The  thunders 
represent  God's  voice  speaking  from 
the  clouds  in  threatening  tones.    See 
Job  xxxvi.  2,  Ps.  xxix.,  and  Ixxvii.  18. 

(15)  The  deep  bed  of  the  sea. 
Heb.  'appiqe  mayim,  lit.  the  chan- 
nels (or  deep  cuttings)  of  waters. 


THE   PSALMS. 


See  the  same  in  Ps.  xlii.  i,  of  deep 
pools  in  the  bed  of  torrents ;  here  of 
the  lowest  depths  of  the  sea. 

(i 6)  He  reached.  Heb.  He  sent 
forth  (His  hand).  See  2  Sam.  vi.  6. 
—  From  the  depths  of  the  waters. 
Connected  with  laying  bare  the  bed 
of  the  ocean  in  ver.  15,  and  'a  remin- 
iscence of  ver.  4. 

(19)  Room  uiicou fined.  Heb.  a 
broad  place,  that  is,  the  opposite  to 
the  "sore  pressure  "  (Heb.  narrow- 
ness) of  the  preceding  verse. 

(21)  Heb.  have  not  done  wickedly 
from  my  God.  The  idea  of  separa- 
tion from  God  by  wickedness  is  con- 
veyed by  the  preposition  "from" 
Indulgence  in  sin  is  in  itself  separa- 
tion from  God. 

(30)  Tried  as  by  fire.  Heb.  tsa- 
riiph,  from  tsdraph,  to  melts  literally 
of  refining  metals.  See  the  same 
word  in  xii.  6,  "  Silver  the  earth  has 
tried  as  a  furnace.'*  Here  as  there  in 
allusion  to  the  promise  of  God  to  de- 
liver His  people  as  tested  and  proved 
in  the  hot  fires  of  persecution. 

(32)  The  God.  Heb.' }El,  the  Mighty 
One,  preceded  by  ''Elohlm  in  ver.  31. 
The  change  is  required  here;  the 
power  of  God  strengthens  man  for 
combat  and  victory,  under  the  figure 
of  putting  on  a  girdle  in  preparation 
for  successful  activity.  See  the  same 
in  ver.  39,  with  the  addition  "for  the 
battle."  —  That  I  bound  unharmed 
on  my  way.  (So  Ewald.)  Heb.  lit. 
maketh  perfect  my  way  (as  A.  V.). 


But  the  poet's  thought  is  quite  lost 
sight  of,  unless  we  remember  that 
we  have  before  us  a  warrior  so  fully 
equipped  for  battle  that  as  he  rushes 
forward  into  the  thick  of  the  fight  he 
receives  no  wound.  The  reference 
is  to  physical  perfection,  as  against 
being  cut  down  and  disabled. 

(34)  The  steel  bow.  Heb.  rfhhd- 
sheth.  A.  V.  here  and  elsewhere 
brass.  The  metal  seems  to  have  re- 
sembled copper  rather  than  brass. 
It  must  have  had  the  hardness  and 
elasticity  of  steel,  which  best  repre- 
sents the  meaning  here. 

(40)  Through  Thee  do  I  seize  on 
my  fleeing  foe.  Heb.  Thou  givest 
me  the  nape  of  the  neck  of  my  foes. 
This  literal  rendering  hides  its  full 
meaning  somewhat  below  the  sur- 
face. The  "  nape  of  the  neck  "  indi- 
cates that  the  foe  is  fleeing  from  him, 
and  by  the  help  of  God  he  is  ena- 
bled to  overtake  and  grasp  him. 

(44)  When  first  their  ear  hears. 
Heb.  at  the  hearing  of  the  ear,  that 
is,  at  the  report  received  by  the  ear, 
or  when  they  received  tidings  of  his 
victories,  they  did  not  wait  for  his 
coming,  but  in  terror  hastened  to  sub- 
mit. —  Come  cringing.     Heb.  lie  to 
me ;  their  professed  submission  was 
not  honest ;  at  heart  they  were  rebels 
still. 

(45)  Men    of   strange    lineage. 
Heb.  sons  offoreignness,  that  is,  for- 
eigners by  birth. 


XIX. 


THE  GLORY  OF  GOD  IN  NATURE  AND  SCRIPTURE. 


MODERN  criticism  finds  in  the  nineteenth  Psalm  two  fragments,  the 
former  incomplete  at  the  close,  the  latter  at  the  beginning,  without 
relation  or  coherence.     It  is  suggested  that  long  after  their  composition 
by  different  authors,  by  blunder  or  chance  they  have  come  together  as 
one  under  the  name  of  David.     The  difference  in  subject  is  emphasized  in 


PSALM  XIX.  53 

proof  of  this,  also  the  difference  in  structure  and  rhythm ;  and  it  is  men- 
tioned as  decisive,  that  in  the  earlier  portion  the  only  Divine  name  men- 
tioned is  '£7,  the  Mighty,  and  in  the  latter  Jehovah. 

But  admitting  the  difference  in  subject  between  the  two,  they  only 
present  different  aspects  of  the  one  God  in  His  self-revelation  to  man. 

It  seems  not  improbable  that  the  same  poet,  having  before  him  his  de- 
scription of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  heavens,  may  have  added,  perhaps 
after  a  lapse  of  time,  a  description  of  the  revelation  of  the  Divine  glory  in 
His  holy  law.  It  has  been  remarked,  too,  that  the  difference  in  tone  and 
rhythm  corresponds  with  the  change  of  subject.  Moreover  the  transition 
from  the  one  Divine  name  to  the  other  is  quite  in  harmony  with  the  use 
of  'Elohim,  a  developed  form  of  '£7,  in  connection  with  the  creation  of 
the  world  in  Gen.  i.,  and  of  Jehovah  "* Elohim,  in  connection  with  God's 
dealings  with  man  in  Gen.  ii.  As  Moll  has  observed,  "  the  identity  of 
the  God  of  revelation  with  the  Creator  is  the  fundamental  principle  of 
the  Theocracy,  and  is  expressly  testified  to  by  the  Old  Testament  from  the 
earliest  times." 

Nothing  of  importance  can  be  adduced  against  the  Davidic  authorship 
of  the  Psalm.  Hitzig  has  pointed  out  strongly  marked  features  indicating 
its  antiquity,  and  particularly  that  David  wrote  it. 

The  following  sentence  from  Professor  Briggs  is  of  interest:  "This 
Psalm  may  be  compared  with  the  eighth,  an  evening  psalm  similar  in  its 
contemplations  to  this  morning  psalm.  In  both  the  contemplation  of  the 
Divine  glory  as  declared  in  the  heavens  begets  a  feeling  of  humility  in 
the  soul  of  the  Psalmist,  which  rises  in  Ps.  viii.  5  into  the  expression  of 
faith  and  confidence  in  God,  in  Ps.  xix.  11-14  "mto  prayer  for  forgiveness, 
preservation,  and  acceptance." 

1  The  glory  of  God  is  set  forth  in  the  universe  (ver.  1),  and  especially  in  the  alter- 
nation of  day  and  night,  as  connected  with  the  circuit  of  the  sun  (4-6).  2.  The  ex- 
cellency of  the  law  of  God  (7-10).  3.  A  prayer  to  the  God  of  nature  and  grace 
(11-U\ 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  The  heavens  are  telling  the  glory  of  God, 

The  skies  showing  forth  the  work  of  His  hands. 

2  Day  to  day  pours  out  speech, 
Night  to  night  utters  knowledge ; 

3  There  is  no  speech  and  no  language 
Where  their  voice  is  not  heard. 

4  Into  all  the  earth  their  line  is  gone  forth, 
Their  words  to  the  end  of  the  world, 

Where  God  pitched  a  tent  for  the  sun ; 

5  And  he  like  a  bridegroom  comes  forth  from  his  couch, 
Like  a  warrior  he  springs  on  his  path ; 


54  THE   PSALMS. 

6  From  heaven's  extreme  he  comes  forth, 

His  circuit  extends  to  its  bounds, 
And  nothing  can  hide  from  his  heat. 

7  The  law  of  Jehovah  is  perfect, 

Refreshing  the  soul ; 
The  witness  of  Jehovah  is  faithful, 
Making  wise  the  untaught ; 

8  The  precepts  of  Jehovah  are  right, 

Rejoicing  the  heart ; 
The  commands  of  Jehovah  are  faultless, 
Enlightening  the  eyes ; 

9  The  fear  of  Jehovah  is  pure, 

Enduring  forever ; 
The  judgments  of  Jehovah  are  true, 
And  all  of  them  righteous ; 

10  They  are  more  to  be  wished  for  than  gold, 

And  sweeter  than  honey  as  it  drops  from  the  comb. 

1 1  By  these,  too,  Thy  servant  is  warned, 

And  great  the  reward  of  those  that  observe  them. 

12  Who  can  discover  his  errors? 
Absolve  me  from  those  that  I  know  not ; 

13  And  keep  back  Thy  servant  from  sins  of  presumption ; 

Let  them  not  rule  me ; 

I  then  shall  be  upright, 
Found  free  from  the  greater  transgression. 

14  Let  come  with  acceptance  the  words  of  my  mouth, 

And  my  whispers  of  heart  in  Thy  presence, 
O  Jehovah,  my  Rock  and  Redeemer ! 

"  The  heavens  "  and  "  the  skies  "  ciples  in  the  first  verse  express  per- 

in  the  first  verse,  and  "  day "   and  manent  occupation.    They  are  really 

"night"  in  the  second,  are  personi-  concrete  nouns,  in  accordance  with 

fied.     "All  the  host  of  them,"  the  the  most  frequent  use  of  the  pres. 

moon  and  the  stars,  are  to  be   in-  act.  part,  in  Hebrew.     The  heavens 

eluded.     There  is  no  reference  to  are  the  narrators,  the  skies  the  ex- 

the  Pythagorean  music  of  the  stars,  hibitors,  of  God's  glory  in  creation, 

of  which  the  Hebrews  knew  nothing,  as  if  appointed  to  their  office  from 

but  these  creations  of  the  wisdom  the  beginning;  and  they  never  weary 

and  power  of  God  are  ideally  vocal,  of  their  task, 
and  there  is  no  discord.    The  parti-        (i)   Telling.     Heb.     m*  sapp*1  rim^ 


PSALM   XIX. 


55 


from  sdphar,  to  tell  or  count  num- 
bers; then  to  tell,  to  recount  or 
narrate  incidents  in  detail.  —  God. 
Heb.  'Elj  the  primary  idea  is  that  of 
power,  from  W  (Sltf),  to  twist,  then 
to  be  strong  (see  note  on  v.  4)  ;  espe- 
cially appropriate  in  a  description  of 
the  works  of  creation.  —  The  skies. 
Heb.  raqta*  (Fp"0,  Eng.  Bib.  fir- 
mament. This  clumsy  rendering, 
which  cannot  very  well  be  displaced 
from  the  text  in  use,  is  derived  from 
the  "firm  amentum"  of  the  Latin 
Vulgate,  and  this  last  from  the  ste- 
reoma  of  the  Septuagint.  Both  are 
founded  upon  a  misconception  of  the 
radical  meaning  of  the  word,  as  if  it 
were  from  raqa  (J^p"1),  in  the  sense 
to  beat  into  a  solid  mass,  whereas  by 
common  consent  it  means  to  beat  out, 
or  expand  by  beating.  It  embodies 
the  idea  of  the  great  spread  of  the 
arch  over  our  head.  The  revisers 
could  find  no  suitable  English  word 
to  substitute  for  it.  Expanse  is  too 
abstract  and  unfamiliar.  There  is  no 
better  word  than  sky,  especially  in 
the  breadth  it  acquires  in  the  plural 
skies.  Some  liberty  has  been  taken 
in  cl.  I,  in  substituting  for  "Praise 
Him  in  the  firmament  of  His  power," 
"  Praise  Him  in  the  skies  spread  out 
by  His  power." 

(2)  Pours  out.    Heb.  naba  (j?3j), 
to  gush  out  with,  pour  forth  copious- 
ly, of  a  fountain  in  Prov.  i.  23.    This 
with  the  following  "  utter,"  properly 
breathe,  indicates   the  free,  smooth 
expression  of  what  they  have  to  tell. 
In   eloquent   silence  they  move  on 
and  shine  on,  through  all  their  ap- 
pointed seasons  and  years. 

(3)  There  is  no  speech  and  no 
language  where  their  voice.     Ac- 
cording to  Hebrew  usage  the  third 
negative,  in  the  second  line,  is  not  a 
repetition  of  the  preceding  'en,  there 
is  not,  but  Wli,  one  that  belongs  only 
to    relative,   or    privative     clauses. 
The  relative  rendering  of  the  A.  V. 
"  where  their  voice ;  "    that    is,    in 
which  their  voice,  recognizes   this. 
So  the  same   negative   is   rendered 
very  properly  inbriii.  I,  "where  no 


water  is;"  that  is,  in  which  there  is 
no  water.  Or  the  negatives  may  all 
be  privative,  and  depend  on  ver.  4 : 
"  Without  speech,  and  without  lan- 
guage, etc.,  into  all  the  earth  "  (Ewald, 
Heb.  Synt).  But  we  should  expect 
strong  emphasis  on  these  utterances 
as  being  universally  intelligible.  That 
they  are  voiceless  is  so  manifest  as 
to  need  no  mention,  and  is  compara- 
tively unimportant. 

(4)  Where.  Heb.  bahem,  in  them, 
referring  to  the  preceding  nouns  of 
the  verse,  especially  the  last,  "the 
end  "  (extreme  limit)  of  the  world. 

(5)  And  he.    The  pronoun  is  here 
emphatic  in  the  Hebrew,  calling  at- 
tention to  a  new  object  singled  out 
from  all  the  rest  for  fresh  personifi- 
cation. —  Comes  forth.     The    He- 
brew conception  of  the  "  rising  "  and 
"  setting  "  of  the  sun  is  a  "  coming 
out"    and    "going    in." — Couch. 
Heb.  hhuppah,  properly  a  screen  or 
canopy,  a  bed  with  curtains.     Often 
at  sunset  we  can  see  the  gorgeous 
curtains  behind  which  the  sun  retires 
to  rest,  or  in  the  morning  we  can  see 
them  flaming  with   his  rays  as  he 
again    bursts   upon  the   world  and 
hastens  upward,  as  if  exhilarated  by 
sleep. 

(5)  A  -warrior.  Heb.  gibbor. 
Sometimes  used  as  an  adjective, 
mighty,  but  most  frequently,  as  here, 
it  is  a  noun ;  but  always  of  a  military 
hero,  champion,  or  chieftain.  See 
xxiv.  8,  xxxiii.  16,  xlv.  3,  cxx.  4, 
cxxvii.  4,  etc.— Path.  Heb.  'orahh. 
The  word  is  usually  translated  path, 
and  is  very  frequent  in  the  Psalms. 
It  is  never  used  in  connection  with 
racing,  and  there  is  nothing  to  indi- 
cate that  sense  here.  Evidently  it  is 
the  war-path. 

(7)  Refreshing  the  soul.  Heb. 
m'shibath  nephesh.  It  is  an  idiomatic 
expression  of  recovering  from  faint- 
ness  and  languor.  See  i  Sam.  xxx. 
12,  Lam.  i.  u.  The  soul  is  the  in- 
dividualized personal  life.  Conver- 
sion (A.  V.)  cannot  be  referred  to, 
but  the  re-animation  of  one  who 
loves  the  Divine  law,  and  feels  him- 


56  THE   PSALMS. 

self    through    its     communications  sacrifices  were  provided  in  the  Le- 

ever  revived  and  inspirited  for  duty  vitical  law;  Lev.  iv.  2. 

and  trial.      So  the   same  word  in  (13)  Sins  of  presumption.   These 

xxiii.  3.  were    the    deliberate,    high-handed, 

(10)     Heb.   the  droppings  from  arid     daring    transgressions    which 

honeycombs.  were  excluded  from  mercy ;  Exod. 

(12)  Errors.     The  Hebrew  term  xxi.  14;  Deut.  xvii.  12. 

covers  all  sins  of  ignorance,  inadver-  (14)  Whispers.       Heb.    hegyon, 

tence,and  infirmity,  for  which  special  from  hagah.     See  on  i.  2,  ii.  i. 


XX. 


PRAYERS  FOR  THE  KING  ON  THE  EVE  OF  BATTLE. 

THIS  Psalm  and  the  one  that  follows  it  are  connected  with  the  same 
events,  and  very  similar  in  style  and  structure.  We  have  here  a 
prayer  for  Divine  assistance  in  a  war  with  foreign  enemies  who  are  pro- 
vided with  horses  and  chariots  (ver.  6),  and  thus  had  apparently  an  ad- 
vantage over  the  Israelites,  who  were  forbidden  to  keep  many  horses, 
Deut.  xvii.  16.  It  is  probable  that  the  king  referred  to  is  David,  and  that 
he  was  the  author.  For  by  Solomon  and  his  successors  the  above  restric- 
tion was  no  longer  observed ;  i  Kings  x.  26-29.  The  Psalm  was  carefully 
prepared  for  use  in  connection  with  the  sacrifices  commanded  before  going 
out  to  battle,  and  is  intended  for  a  responsive  service. 

The  opening  verse  presupposes  sacrifices  and  vows  by  the  king  himself. 
The  assembled  congregation  invoke  for  him  safety  and  success.  The 
Psalm  is  smooth  and  flowing  in  style,  but  very  spirited,  and  expresses 
strong  confidence  in  God. 

The  historic  occasion  is  probably  the  war  with  the  mighty  host  of  the 
Assyrians  recorded  in  2  Sam.  x.  18,  19. 

1.  An  intercession  by  the  people  in  behalf  of  the  king,  who  is  offering  his  sacrifices 
(1-5)'  2.  A  solo  by  a  priest,  expressing  confidence  in  the  saving  power  of  God  (6-8). 
3.  A  closing  invocation  by  the  people  in  chorus  (9). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  Jehovah  respond  in  Thy  day  of  distress, 
The  Name  of  the  God  of  Jacob  protect  thee ; 

2  From  His  holy  hill  send  thee  help, 
Out  of  Zion  sustain  thee; 

3  Thine  oblations,  remember  them  all, 

And  thine  offerings  by  burning  accept;  [Selah.] 

4  As  thy  heart  shall  desire  may  He  give  thee, 
And  all  thy  purpose  fulfil. 


PSALM   XX. 


57 


5  Thy  salvation  is  ours,  and  we  joyfully  shout ; 
A  banner  we  lift  in  the  Name  of  our  God ; 

"All  thy  prayers  will  Jehovah  fulfil." 

6  I  now  know  that  Jehovah  will  save  His  anointed ; 
From  His  holy  heaven  will  He  answer 

In  deeds  of  power  by  His  saving  right  hand. 

7  In  their  chariots  some  glory,  and  some  in  their  horses, 
But  we  in  the  Name  of  Jehovah,  our  God ; 

8  As  for  them,  they  sink  down  and  they  fall, 
It  is  ours  to  rise  up  and  stand  firm. 

9  Save  the  king,  O  Jehovah ; 
May  He  hear  us  when  we  call. 


(i)  Distress.  Heb  tsarah,  hard 
pressure ;  the  stress  of  battle  when 
the  foe  is  pressing  hard,  and  confi- 
dent of  victory.  —  The  Name  of  the 
God  of  Jacob,  a  probable  reference 
to  Gen.  xxxv.  3.  "The  Name  of 
God  of  Jacob  "  is  the  self-manifest- 
ing power  and  grace  of  the  God  of 
Israel  (Del.).  It  is  equivalent  to 
the  Name  Jehovah,  the  Divinely 
appointed  symbol  of  gracious  mani- 
festation to  Israel.  —  Protect  thee. 
Heb.  set  thee  on  high,  but  figura- 
tively, put  thee  out  of  danger.  So 
Ixix.  29;  lix.  i,  etc. 

(3)  Oblations.  Heb.  m'nahhoth, 
meal  offerings,  a  part  of  which,  min- 
gled with  incense,  was  placed  upon 
the  altar  to  be  consumed  with  the 
burnt  offering,  and  was  called  'azkar 
rah,  memorial,  and  the  sweet  odour 
of  which,  ascending,  was  supposed 
to  commend  the  worshipper  to  the 
remenit>rance  and  favour  of  God. 
There  is  probably  reference  to  this 
in  the  "remember." — Accept.  Heb. 
make  fat,  that  is,  may  He  find  it  fat, 
and  so  approve  it,  as  rich,  nourishing 
food. 

(5)  Thy  salvation  is  ours.  A 
transition  here  from  prayer  for  Di- 
vine help  to  the  joyful  recognition 
that  God  has  come  for  deliverance. 
He  is  now  more  directly  addressed 


as  the  God  of  salvation.  It  is  as- 
sumed that  the  heart  of  the  king  has 
gone  up  with  the  heart  of  the  people, 
and  now  the  prayer  is  heard,  as  if 
fire  from  heaven  had  consumed  the 
sacrifice.  The  banneris  triumphantly 
unfurled.  —  A  banner  we  lift.  Heb. 
nidgol,  from  the  noun  degel,  a  banner. 
The  passive  participle  nigdal  occurs 
in  Cant.  vi.  4,  "  Terrible  as  a  bannered 
army."  —  "All  thy  prayers  will  Je- 
hovah fulfil."  Eng.  Bib.  "  The  LORD 
fulfil  all  thy  petitions."  The  sudden 
recurrence  from  exulting  confidence 
to  the  supplication  that  preceded  it 
is  unaccountable,  especially  as  it  is 
immediately  followed  by  a  more  em- 
phatic assurance  of  acceptance  and 
deliverance  in  ver.  6.  It  can  hardly 
be  that  the  distress  and  anxiety  that 
prompted  the  preceding  prayer  so 
suddenly  returned,  to  be  as  suddenly 
dissipated.  (So  Del.  and  others.) 
Ewald  does  better  in  translating  as 
future,  "Jehovah  will  fulfil."  Taking 
it  in  connection  with  the  triumphant 
display  of  the  banner,  it  may  be  taken 
as  a  motto  or  absolute  profession  of 
faith  in  Jehovah  with  reference  to 
the  impending  conflict,  and  possibly 
as  the  inscription  on  the  banner  now 
unfurled. 

(6)  I  now   know.      A  solo  by 
some    Levite    in    the  temple,  who 


58  THE   PSALMS. 

may  perhaps  personate  the  king.    It  to  the  army  now  arrayed  against  Is- 

grows  immediately  out  of  the  pre-  rael,  2  Sam.  x.  18. 
ceding,  and  is  upon  the  same  key.  (9)    The    chorus,    in    which    the 

(7)  In  their  chariots  some  glory,  whole  people  unite.      The  pointing; 

A  historic  reference  that  proves  that  of  the  Massoretic   text  makes  the 

the  Psalm  belongs  to  the  time  of  Da-  king  the  subject.     "Jehovah  save; 

vid.      See  Deut.  xvii.  16,  where  it  may  the  king  answer  us  when  we 

was  forbidden   that  a  king  should  call."     The   versions   and   interpre- 

multiply  horses.    This  was  not  trans-  ters  are   all  against  it.      The  sub- 

gressea  till  Solomon.     See,  i  Kings  ject  of  the  whole  Psalm  is  that  God 

x.  26-29.     The   emphatic  pronouns  will  save  His  anointed  king.     It  is 

in  ver.  6  and  7  express  forcibly  a  scarcely  possible  that  the  word  md- 

twofold  contrast  between  them  and  lek,  king,  should  immediately  follow 

their  enemies.     See,  with  reference  the  verb,  except  as  its  object. 


XXI. 

THANKSGIVING  FOR  VICTORY,   AND   CONFIDENCE  FOR  THE 

FUTURE. 

THIS  Psalm  in  its  subject  is  a  companion  to  Ps.  xx.,  and  resembles 
it  in  being  constructed  for  responsive  worship.   The  Divine  blessing 
and  aid  there  implored  with  reference  to  the  approaching  conflict  were 
granted ;  and  the  victorious  king  has  returned,  and  with  his  people  again 
visits  the  house  of  God,  that  they  may  offer  their  united  thanksgiving. 

1.  A  grateful  acknowledgment  by  the  congregation  of  God's  goodness  in  bestowing 
bodily  and  spiritual  blessings  upon  the  king  in  answer  to  prayer  (1-7).  2.  An  ad- 
dress to  the  king,  perhaps  by  a  representative  priest,  expressing  confidence  of  further 
Divine  blessing  upon  his  sons  and  his  kingdom  (8-12).  3.  A  chorus,  calling  upon 
God  to  manifest  His  power,  that  His  people  may  praise  Him  the  more  (18). 

FOR  THE   LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      A  PSALM   OF  DAVID. 

1  How  glad  is  the  king  in  Thy  strength,  O  Jehovah ; 
Because  Thou  hast  saved  him,  how  great  is  his  joy ! 

2  The  wish  of  his  heart  hast  Thou  granted, 

The  desire  of  his  lips  Thou  hast  not  denied.  [Selah.] 

3  For  with  blessings  of  good  didst  Thou  meet  him, 
A  crown  of  fine  gold  hast  Thou  set  on  his  head. 

4  He  asked  of  Thee  life,  and  life  didst  Thou  give  him, 
Even  days  long  extended,  forever  and  aye. 


PSALM   XXI.  59 

5  His  glory  is  great  because  Thou  hast  saved  him ; 
Grandeur  and  power  hast  Thou  lavished  upon  him ; 

6  Thou  grantest  him  blessings  enduring, 
And  the  joy  of  Thy  face  gives  him  cheer. 

<v 

7  For  the  king  puts  his  trust  in  Jehovah, 

Through  the  love  of  the  Highest  he  cannot  be  shaken. 

8  For  Thy  hand  shall  find  out  all  his  foes, 

Thy  right  hand  shall  find  those  that  hate  him. 

9  When  Thy  face  shall  appear, 

As  a  furnace  of  fire  wilt  Thou  make  them  ; 
Jehovah  in  wrath  will  consume, 
And  a  fire  shall  devour  them. 

10  Their  fruit  wilt  Thou  sweep  from  the  earth, 
And  their  seed  from  the  children  of  men. 

1 1  Because  they  think  evil  against  Thee ; 

They  have  planned  an  ill  purpose,  but  cannot  perform ; 

12  For  their  back  wilt  Thou  force  them  to  turn, 
When  Thine  arrows  are  aimed  at  their  face. 

13  In  Thy  might  be  exalted,  Jehovah; 

We  will  sing  with  the  harp  to  Thy  power. 

(2)  The  desire.     Heb.  'artsheth.  (7)  Cannot    be    shaken.     Heb. 
This  word  occurs  only  here,  but  the  bal  yimmfit.     The  verb  mfit  means 
meaning  is  fully  established  from  the  to  shake  or  totter  by  violent  convul- 
Arabic.     Delitzsch  gives  longing.  sion.     Here,  and  often  elsewhere,  it 

(3)  A  crown  of  fine  gold.     This  implies  a  shaking  down,  a  complete 
may  be  figurative,  meaning  that  by  overthrow.     The    usual    rendering, 
His  recent  grace  God  had  confirmed  "  moved,"  of  the  English   Bible  is 
him  in  his  royal  dignity,  as  if  now  always  inadequate.     See  at  xlvi.  2. 
newly  crowned ;  or  it  may  be  antici-  (12)  Their  back.    Heb.  theshoul- 
pative  of  what  occurred  after  the  der. — Thine  arrows  are  aimed  at 
conquest  of  the  royal  city  Rabbah,  Heb.  Thou preparest Thy  bowstrings 
when  the  crown  of  the  Ammonitish  against. 

king  was  set  on  his  head.     See  2        (13)  Sing  with  the  harp.     Heb. 

Sam.  xii.  30.  nasMru  tfzammeru.    Hendiadys  of 

(4)  Days   long  extended.     See  the  verb.     See  note  at  vi.  10  ;  and 
note   at    xxiii.  6.  —  Forever    and  for  the  verb  zimmer ;  at  vii.  17. 
aye.    See  note  at  xlv.  6. 


60  THE   PSALMS. 

XXII. 

ELI,   ELI,   LAMA    SABACHTHANI. 

A.  PSALM  peculiarly  sacred  and  precious,  as  portraying  typically  the 
sufferings  of  Christ.  •  No  other  is  so  frequently  quoted  in  the  New 
Testament,  as  fulfilled  in  him.  The  reasons  assigned  by  some  for  refer- 
ring it  to  a  later  time  than  the  life  of  David,  especially  for  putting  it  after 
the  captivity,  are  most  unsubstantial.  This  is  proposed  on  the  assumption 
that  the  sufferer  of  the  Psalm  is  not  an  individual,  but  the  nation,  and  that 
we  must  look  for  the  historic  background  to  some  great  national  calamity. 
But  much  more  probable  is  the  reference  to  special  sufferings  of  the  writer, 
which  are  there  idealized,  sublimated,  intensified.  His  mind  is  so  wrought 
upon  by  the  Spirit  of  prophecy  as  to  pass  consciously  beyond  the  limits  of 
his  sharpest  personal  experience  of  anguish  to  the  sufferings  of  a  greater 
king  upon  the  same  throne,  whose  kingdom,  as  had  been  promised,  should 
be  everlasting.  It  would  not  seem  strange  to  him,  in  view  of  the  deter- 
mined and  malignant  hostility  which  he  encountered  for  a  long  time  after 
he  ascended  to  the  throne,  that  his  most  glorious  successor,  in  whom  Is- 
rael's hopes  should  be  realized,  must  fight  his  way  against  fiercer  opposi- 
tion, more  bitter  hatred,  and  more  excruciating  personal  suffering.  There 
is  no  indication,  however,  in  this  Psalm  of  an  apprehension  of  the  deeper 
significance  of  these  sufferings  in  connection  with  the  priesthood  of  the 
Messiah  and  the  forgiveness  of  sins. 

There  are  three  principal  divisions :  1.  Anguish  and  lamentation,  struggling 
through  to  some  faint  hope,  and  renewal  of  prayer  (1-11).  (a)  A  cry  of  distress, 
continued  but  unavailing  (1,  2).  (b)  Yet  God  is  holy,  and  ^vhen  the  fathers  cried  he 
helped  them  (3-5).  (c)  In  contrast  with  this  he  himself  is  despised  and  scoffed  at 
(6-8).  (d)  Yet  he  remembers  God's  goodness  in  his  earliest  years  and  will  pray 
(9-11).  2.  He  spreads  out  his  misery  anew  and  in  detail  (12-21).  (a)  His  peril 
from  enemies  raging  like  fierce  beasts  (12, 13).  (b)  Its  effects  upon  his  person  (14, 15). 
(c)  Indications  that  the  end  is  near  (16-18).  3.  Thanksgiving  and  hope  (22-31). 
(a)  Praise  for  his  deliverance  in  the  congregation  of  his  brethren  (22-24-)-  (b)  He 
will  bring  his  thanksgiving,  when  others  will  unite  in  praising  God  (25,26).  (c)  A 
forecast  that  all  the  earth  will  turn  to  Jehovah  and  serve  him  forever  (27—31). 

FOR   THE   LEADER   OF    THE   CHOIR.      SET   TO    " 'AYELETH    HASHAHAR." 
A   PSALM   OF  TDAVID. 

1  My  God,  O  my  God,  why  forsakest  Thou  me? 

Why  so  far  from  my  help  are  my  outcries  of  suffering? 

2  O  my  God,  in  the  daytime  I  call  Thee, 

And  Thou  givest  no  answer, 
And  by  night,  but  I  get  no  relief. 


PSALM  XXII.  6l 

3  Yet  holy  art  Thou, 

Enthroned  on  the  praises  of  Israel. 

4  Our  fathers  were  trustful  in  Thee, 

They  were  trustful,  and  them  Thou   deliveredst ; 

5  Unto  Thee  they  cried  out,  and  were  rescued, 

In  Thee  did  they  trust,  and  were  not  put  to  shame. 

6  But  I  —  am  a  worm,  not  a  man, 

Am  reviled  by  mankind,  am  despised  by  the  people ; 

7  All  that  see  me  deride  me, 

They  thrust  out  the  lip,  and  the  head  toss  about : 

8  They  say,  "  Roll  on  Jehovah.     Let  Him  give  him  help  ; 
Let  Him  rescue  the  man  He  delights  in." 

9  Yea,  in  truth,  for  through  Thee  did  I  come  to  be  born, 
On  the  breast  of  my  mother  Thou  mad'st  me  to  rest. 

10  Upon  Thee  was  I  cast  from  my  birth ; 

Thou  wert  my  God  when  my  breath  was  first  drawn. 

1 1  Oh,  be  not  far  off,  for  sore  trouble  is  near, 
And  there  is  no  one  to  help  me. 

12  Mighty  bulls  are  about  me, 

The  strong  ones  of  Bashan  surround  me ; 

13  Against  me  their  mouth  opens  wide, 
As  if  lions  were  rending  and  roaring. 

14  I  am  poured  out  like  water; 

All  my  bones  are  disjointed ; 
My  heart  is  like  wax, 

It  is  melted  within  me. 

15  My  strength  is  dried  up  like  a  potsherd, 
My  tongue  cleaves  fast  to  my  jaws ; 

In  the  dust  of  death  dost  Thou  lay  me. 

16  For  dogs  come  about  me; 

A  band  of  ill-doers  hems  me  in  ; 

They  mangle  my  hands  and  my  feet. 

17  All  my  bones  I  can  number; 
Mine  enemies  gaze  at  me  gloating, 

1 8  Distribute  my  garments  among  them, 
Cast  lots  on  my  vesture. 


62  THE   PSALMS. 

19  But  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  remove  not  far  off, 
My  strength,  oh  come  quick  to  mine  aid ; 

20  Snatch  my  life  from  the  sword, 

My  one  only  life  from  the  power  of  the  dog ; 

21  From  the  mouth  of  the  lion,  oh,  save  me, 
From  the  horns  of  wild  cattle  — 

Thou  hast  answered  my  prayer. 

22  I  will  herald  Thy  Name  to  my  brethren, 

In  the  midst  of  the  church  will  I  praise  Thee. 

23  Praise  Jehovah,  ye  that  fear  Him ; 

Give  Him  glory,  all  ye  offspring  of  David ; 
Stand  in  awe,  all  ye  offspring  of  Israel. 

24  For  the  pain  of  the  sufferer  He  despised  not,  nor  spurned, 

And  concealed  not  His  face, 
But  heard  when  he  cried  for  His  help. 

25  From  THEE  comes  my  praise  in  the  great  congregation; 
Before  those  that  fear  Him  my  vows  will  I  pay. 

26  The  lowly  shall  eat  and  be  filled, 

They  that  seek  for  Jehovah  shall  praise  Him ; 
May  your  heart  get  new  life  evermore. 

27  All  the  bounds  of  the  earth 

Shall  remember  and  turn  to  Jehovah ; 
All  the  families  of  nations 

Shall  worship  before  Him ; 

28  For  Jehovah  is  King, 

And  He  governs  the  nations. 

29  All  the  rich  of  the  earth  shall  eat  and  bow  down, 

And  before  Him  shall  kneel, 

All  those  that  go  down  to  the  dust, 
Even  he  that  cannot  preserve  his  own  life. 

30  An  offspring  shall  serve  Him, 

And  speak  of  the  Lord  to  the  next  generation ; 

31  They  shall  come  and  His  righteousness  herald, 
People  yet  to  be  born  shall  be  told  what  He  wrought. 


PSALM  XXII. 


(i)  My  God,  O  my  God.     The 

Divine  Name  here  twice  used  is  '-£"/, 
the  Mighty.  See  on  xix.  I.  His 
appeal  in  suffering  and  peril  is  to 
Omnipotence  as  alone  adequate  to 
his  deliverance  from  the  malignant 
human  power  into  whose  grasp  he 
has  fallen.  —  Why.  Heb.  lamah, 
for  what  reason,  here  accented  as 
emphatic  in  connection  with  what 
he  knows  of  God ;  why  will  not  He 
whose  power  is  infinite,  and  whose 
love  and  truth  are  unquestionable, 
interfere  in  my  behalf?  The  ques- 
tion is  not  one  of  impatience,  fault- 
finding, and  arraignment,  but  of  grief 
and  entreaty.  Further,  this  lamah, 
although  not  repeated  in  the  Hebrew, 
like  the  same  interrogative  at  x.  I, 
covers  the  whole  verse.  It  binds 
its  two  portions  together  as  contain- 
ing virtually  a  single  question.  The 
second  line  is  an  explanatory  devel- 
opment of  the  first.  —  The  construc- 
tion exhibited  in  our  rendering, 
which  makes  "far"  the  predicate, 
placed  before  the  subject,  "  my  out- 
cries of  suffering  "  (Ges.  Gr.  §  148.2), 
corresponds  with  the  margin  )f  the 
R.  V.  The  rendering  of  the  text  in 
A.  V,  and  R.  V.  cannot  be  fairly  ex- 
tracted from  the  Hebrew.  (So  De- 
litzsch,  Moll.)  —  Forsakest  Thou 
me?  The  tense  is  the  perfect,  but 
describes  conditions  that  continue 
in  the  present.  The  meaning  of  the 
verb  is  defined  by  the  following  par- 
allelism, "  Far  from  my  help  " —  that 
is,  far  from  bringing  me  Thy  help 
—  "  are  my  outcries  of  suffering." 
This  thought  has  further  expansion 
in  the  following  verse,  —  my  un- 
ceasing prayers  are  unavailing:  I 
still  suffer  unrelieved.  Like  the 
question,  "  Why  standest  Thou  afar 
off?"  in  x.  i,  the  words  must  not 
be  pressed  as  if  God  were  actually 
far  off,  or  might  ever  withdraw 
from  any  person  or  place.  God  is 
said  to  come  to  a  place  when  He 
manifests  His  power  there,  and  to 
depart  from  it  when  He  ceases  to  do 
so.  In  the  case  before  us  the  cry  is 
that  of  one  in  great  agony  under  the 


pressure  of  injustice  and  cruelty. 
The  question  is  not  of  the  personal 
presence  or  absence  of  God,  as  af- 
fecting the  comfort  of  the  sufferer, 
but  of  helping  or  not  helping.  He 
addresses  God  as  within  hearing, 
though  by  His  inaction  it  might  seem 
as  if  He  were  far  away;  and  he  still 
appeals  to  Him  as  his  own  God,  who 
has  not  cast  him  off.  Will  He  not 
be  moved  to  deliver  him  from  his 
foes  ?  The  meaning  of  the  verb  here 
is  that  of  the  same  verb  in  xvi.  10, 
"  Thou  wilt  not  abandon  my  soul 
unto  Sheol ; "  that  is,  Thou  wilt  not 
let  it  remain  there  in  suffering,  and 
not,  Thou  wilt  not  leave  it  without 
Thy  presence.  We  add  that  else- 
where in  the  use  of  this  verb,  when 
God  is  said  to  forsake  any  one, 
the  meaning  is  to  withdraw  or  with- 
hold His  help  from  him.  Gen. 
xxviii.  15,  Josh.  i.  5,  Ps.  xxvii.  9, 
Ixxi.  9;  so  of  a  people,  Ps.  ix.  n, 
Is.  xlii.  16,  liv.  7;  of  a  land,  Ezek. 
viii.  12,  ix.  9. 

This  outcry  is  entitled  to  special 
attention  in  its  connection  with  the 
sufferings  of  our  blessed  Lord  upon 
the  cross.  In  the  supreme  moment 
of  anguish,  He  expressed  in  these 
words  the  intensity  of  His  woe.  He 
is  supposed  also  to  indicate  a  kind  of 
suffering  of  which  we  get  no  glimpse 
elsewhere,  not  even  in  the  dark  hour 
of  Gethsemane.  It  touches  the  mys- 
tery of  the  atonement  at  its  most 
mysterious  point,  introducing  an 
element  which  is  as  painful  as  it  is 
incomprehensible.  In  what  intelli- 
gible sense  could  the  infinite  Father 
forsake  His  only  begotten  Son,  leav- 
ing Him  alone  in  absolute  darkness 
in  His  dire  need  ?  It  is  easy  to  say 
that  this  was  part  of  the  penalty  of 
sin  which  He  suffered  vicariously 
as  the  representative  of  man.  But 
the  chief  and  constituting  element  in 
that  penalty  is  the  wrath  of  God. 
There  are  some  who  are  quite  ready 
to  speak  of  Christ  as  the  object  of 
Divine  wrath  in  some  putative  and 
representative  sense,  —  a  thought 
painful  beyond  expression.  But 


64 


THE   PSALMS. 


surely,  never  for  a  moment  can  this 
Divine  sufferer  have  been  the  object 
of  the  Father's  displeasure,  —  He 
that  came  from  heaven  to  do  His 
will,  to  execute  the  purpose  of  infi- 
nite love  in  the  redemption  of  a 
ruined  world,  at  whatever  personal 
cost.  Never,  on  the  contrary,  was 
the  thought  of  the  Father  fixed 
on  the  Son  with  more  unqualified 
approbation  and  intense  affection : 
"  Therefore  my  Father  loveth  me, 
because  I  lay  down  my  life,  in  order 
that  I  might  take  it  again."  Never 
can  He  have  been  more  thoroughly 
conscious  that  He  is  doing  the  Fa- 
ther's will,  and  must  be  approved, 
and  could  never  be  forsaken  of  Him, 
than  now. 

But  if  language,  have  a  clear  and 
definite  meaning,  how  can  all  this  be 
reconciled  with  the  cry?  Simply 
upon  the  sound  exegetical  principle 
that  language  cannot  be  legitimately 
interpreted  outside  of  historical  and 
contextual  relations,  which  con- 
stantly affect  the  meaning  of  words. 

In  this  terrible  outcry  our  Saviour 
is  giving  vent  to  His  anguish  under 
the  torture  of  the  cross,  in  an  ex- 
pression that  came  from  the  lips  of 
a  sufferer  who  centuries  before  had 
represented  Him  typically.  The 
echo,  in  aught  that  is  doubtful,  must 
be  interpreted  from  the  original  cry, 
the  true  significance  of  which  we 
have  attempted  to  give.  The  Divine 
sufferer  must  have  used  the  words 
in  accordance  with  the  thought  of 
the  Psalmist.  How  important  then 
is  the  application  of  sound  principles 
here. 

(3)  Holy.  Lit.  separated  from 
all  evil,  only  and  in  all  things  to  be 
adored;  imputing  to  God  absolute 
perfection,  never  to  be  disparaged, 
but  always  to  be  loved  and  trusted. 
—  Enthroned,  etc.  A  reference  to 
God's  exaltation  as  King.  Holiness 
is  enthroned.  So  evil  must  and  will 
be  put  down,  and  goodness,  truth, 
and  purity  will  triumph  at  last. 
This  is  recognized  in  Israel's  songs 
of  praise.  It  may  be  that  as  these, 


with  clouds  of  incense,  rise  toward 
heaven,  they  are  contemplated  as  a 
royal  pavilion,  within  which  in  holy 
majesty  He  exalts  Himself  against 
unrighteousness  and  oppression. 

(6)  Not  a  man.  He  is  degraded 
in  the  estimation  of  others  of  his 
kind,  and  no  longer  treated  as  one  of 
them.  Comp.  Is.  lii.  14. 

(8)  They  say,  Roll  on  Jehovah. 
Spoken  ironically  to  the  sufferer  by 
some  of  the  persecuting  crowd,  who 
then  turn  with  mocking  faces  to  their 
fellows;  but  the  scoffing  words  ad- 
dressed to  them  are  intended  to  reach 
his  ears. 

(9)  Yea,  in  truth ;  suggesting  an 
intermediate    unexpressed   thought. 
The  sufferer  confirms,  as  actual  truth, 
what  has  been  said  tauntingly.     In- 
deed God  delights  in  him,  for  He 
has  graciously  sustained   him  from 
the  first  moment  of  his  life. 

(11)  And.  Heb./<?r.  In  Hebrew 
as  in  Greek  the  causal  conj.  for  is 
sometimes  repeated  before  a  further 
reason  assigned,  as  it  would  not  be 
in  English. 

(16)  They  mangle.    Heb.  ka'art. 
The   form   is   precisely  that  which 
would   usually  be  translated,  like  a 
lion,   and    some    insist    upon    that 
meaning  here.     But  the  sense  given 
is  unsuitable  to  the  context,  and  the 
oldest  Greek  translators  have  given 
it  as  a  verb.     It  seems  an  irregular 
form,  either  participial  or  the  perfect 
indicative,  of  the  verb  kdr,  to  dig 
into.     Prof.  Cheyne  translates  they 
have  digged  into,  and  remarks,  "Few 
now  maintain  the  reading  like  a  lion, 
which   is  too  short  a  phrase  to  be 
intelligible,  "interrupts    the    lifelike 
description  of   the  dogs,  and  seems 
at  any  rate  to  assume  that  the  lion 
specially  attacks  the  hands  and  the 
feet."    ' 

(17)  Gaze  at  me  gloating.    Heb. 
yabbitil  yifil  bi,  they  stare,  they  look 
on  me.      Hendiadys  of    the  verb ; 
see   on   vi.  10.      The  former  verb 
describes  a  fixed  gaze ;  the  latter  is 
the  ordinary  word  for  seeing,   but 
when  followed  as  here  by  the  prep. 


PSALM  XXIII.                                         65 

V,  upon,  it  means  to  lock  with  de-  (20)  My   one    only  life.      Heb. 

light,  to  gloat  upon.     Comp.    Eng.  y1  hidi,  my  only  one,  implying  pre- 

to  feast  the  eyes  upon.     See  xxxvii.  ciousness,   as    one    that   cannot   be 

34,  liv.  7,  cvi.  5,   cxii.  8,  cxviii.  7,  replaced ;   like   an  only  child.     So 

Job  iii.  9,  xx.   17.  xxxv.  17. 


XXIII. 

JEHOVAH   MY  SHEPHERD. 

A  PSALM  so  simple,  familiar,  and  precious,  scarcely  needs  introduc- 
tion or  comment.  There  is  no  good  reason  for  separating  from  the 
general  current  of  opinion  that  ascribes  it  to  David  as  its  author.  It  is 
so  like  Ps.  iii.  iv.  xxvii.  Ixiii.,  and  others  that  are  connected  with  David's 
outcast  life  during  Absalom's  rebellion,  and  it  fits  in  so  well  with  the  inci- 
dents of  that  period,  that  we  look  in  vain  for  a  more  satisfactory  historic 
coincidence.  Especially  in  reading  ver.  5,  we  may  think  of  Mahanaim, 
and  of  the  bountiful  provision  brought  out  by  Barzillai  and  his  compan- 
ions for  the  refreshment  of  David  and  the  faint  and  weary  that  were  with 
him  (2  Sam.  xvii.  27-29).  It  may  be  remarked  here,  as  at  v.  7,  that  the 
mention  of  the  house  of  Jehovah  by  no  means  implies  that  the  temple  was 
already  built.  In  the  earliest  Semitic  usage  any  place  of  lodging  was 
called  Beth  (a  house)  ;  and  any  place  where  God  is  worshipped  and  mani- 
fests His  presence  would  be  so  designated,  see  Gen.  xxviii.  17.  Conse- 
quently the  tabernacle  (Heb.  tent)  is  repeatedly  called  so;  Josh.  vi.  24, 
2  Sam.  xii.  20,  etc. 

The  characteristic  feature  of  the  Psalm  is  calm  and  untroubled  confi- 
dence in  God,  and  unfaltering  expectation  of  a  blissful  future  in  His 
presence. 

1.  He  is  under  the  care  of  fehavah  as  his  shepherd  (1— $.).  2.  Pie  is  a  guest  at  a 
royal  banquet,  and  what  he  now  enjoys  is  the  earnest  of  richer  grace  in  the  future 
(5-6). 

1  Jehovah  is  my  Shepherd, 

I  suffer  no  want; 

2  In  pastures  of  verdure  He  makes  me  lie  down, 
By  the  rest-giving  waters  He  leads  me. 

3  He  refreshes  my  soul, 
And  along  the  right  paths 

For  His  Name's  sake  He  guides  me. 
5 


66 


THE   PSALMS. 


Yea,  e'en  when  I  walk  in  the  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death, 

No  ill  do  I  fear,  for  Thou  art  beside  me, 
Thy  sceptre  and  staff  are  my  comfort. 
A  table  Thou  spreadest  before  me, 

In  front  of  my  foes ; 
My  head  Thou  anointest  with  oil, 

And  alway  my  cup  is  o'erflowing. 

There  only  shall  follow  me  goodness  and  love 

All  the  days  of  my  life, 
And  for  days  long  extended, 

I  shall  dwell  in  the  house  of  Jehovah. 


(1)  I  suffer  no  -want.     The   so- 
called  tense  is  the  imperfect ;  and 
all  the  verbs  that  follow,  till  the  last 
verse,  are  in  the  same  form.     With 
no  adverbial  or  other  designation  of 
time,  this  form  represents  the  Eng- 
lish present  in  the  continuous  flow 
of  vivid  description.     This  includes 
ver.  4. 

(2)  Verdure.   Heb.  deshe1 ,  freshly 
sprouting  grass,  —  Rest-giving,  not 
still,  which  might  be  stagnant,  wa- 
ters.    Heb.   in'nuhhoth,  lit.   waters 
of  resting-places  ;  that  is,  by  the  side 
of  which  there  are  inviting  places  of 
rest,  with  perhaps  a  reference  to  the 
soothing  sound  of  a  running  stream. 

(3)  Refreshes.       Heb.  yshobeb, 
brings  back  to   the   animation  and 
vigour  it  has  lost  by  the  heat  and 
hardness  of  the  way.     See  on  xix. 
7.  —  The  right  paths.     Lit.  straight 
or  level  paths.     But  in   his  poetic 
conceptions  he  never  loses  sight  of 
the  higher  relations  they  illustrate. 
Paths  smooth  and  safe  for  the  sheep 
represent,  on  the  plane  of  spiritual 
life,  activities  directed  by  the  holy 
and  righteous  will  of  God.     He  has 
a  higher  "Name"  to  be  glorified  than 
that  of  "  Shepherd." 

(4)  Yea,  e'en  when  I  -walk.  Heb. 
gam  ki  'elek.     The  present  (Heb. 
imperfect}  tense,   preceded  by  the 
particle  when  (not  the  hypothetical 


though),  must  exhibit  an  actual  ex- 
perience. In  the  shepherd  life  "the 
valley  of  death-shade  "  represents  a 
dark  and  perilous  defile  through 
which  the  timid  flock  may  have  to 
pass  (Briggs).  The  Psalmist  refers 
to  those  deep  wadies,  or  wild  and 
gloomy  ravines,  which  abound  in  the 
mountains  of  Palestine,  the  rocky 
sides  of  which  are  filled  with  caverns, 
the  abode  of  beasts  of  prey.  It  is 
often  necessary  for  the  shepherd  to 
lead  his  flocks  through  these  wadies 
and  across  these  ravines,  and  it  is  al- 
ways perilous,  even  to  the  shepherd 
himself.  There  is  no  reference  here 
to  death  itself,  but  to  the  peril  of 
death,  so  often  experienced  in  life. — 
Thy  sceptre  and  staff.  The  latter 
of  these  words  (mash1  art)  is  always  a 
staff  for  support.  The  former  (she- 
bet}  may  be  a  club  for  protecting  the 
flock  from  wild  beasts  (Cheyne),  or 
the  shepherd's  crook,  a  symbol  of 
guidance.  But  the  two  staves  in 
Zech.  xi.  7  (Briggs).  will  not  help  us 
here,  for  each  staff  in  the  shepherd's 
hand  has  a  special,  defined  signifi- 
cance for  that  place.  It  seems  more 
probable  that  just  at  this  point  of  tran- 
sition to  a  royal  banquet,  in  which 
he  is  to  be  the  guest  of  Jehovah,  the 
Psalmist  remembers  that  his  Divine 
Shepherd  is  also  a  King,  a  concep- 
tion eminently  suited  to  the  confi- 


PSALM  XXIII. 


67 


dence  just  expressed,  as  well  as  to 
what  follows.  So  shebet  in  ii.  9,  xlv. 
6,  cxxv.  3,  etc. 

(5)  A    table    Thou    spreadest. 
Probably  referring  to  2  Sam.  xvii. 
27-29.  —  My  head  Thou  anointest. 
Anointing  the  head  of  a  guest  with 
richly  perfumed  oil  is  a  symbol  of 
honour,  welcome,  and  joy  (xlv.  7, 
Luke  xi.  46).  —  My  cup.     The  cup 
represents  refreshment,  blessing,  and 
gracious   fellowship  (xvi.  5,  I  Cor. 
x.  1 6).  —  Is  always   overflowing. 
Heb.  r'vayah,  overflowing  fulness; 
from  ravah,  to  be  drenched  or  sated 
with  drink.      The  word  here  is  nei- 
ther verb  nor  adjective,  but  a  noun. 
The  cup  is  named  by  its  permanent 
characteristic,  always  filled  to  the 
brim  and  running  over. 

(6)  And  love.     Heb.  hhesed ;  it 
sometimes   expresses    kindness    be- 
tween men,  but  more  frequently  the 
kindness  of  God  to  men,  in  feeling 
and  act.      Often  translated   in   the 
English    Bible     (after    Coverdale) 
lovingkindness ;  much  oftener,  and 
less  happily,  mercy.     It  is  the  active 
principle  in  a  moral  nature  that  is 
most  opposite  to  selfishness,  —  love, 
not  so  much  a  passion  as  an  energy, 
ever  working  out  beneficent  results. 
Prominently  it  is  God's  steadfast  in- 
terest in  His  covenant  people  (Hup- 
feld),  but  not  necessarily  restricted 
to  this.     Its  deepest  and  richest  sig- 
nificance is  confined  to  gracious  spir- 
its, who  yield  themselves  to  God's 
will   in  loving  obedience.     As  for 
others,  it  is  excluded  from  their  in- 
ner being  by  their  own  moral  repul- 
sion, and  can  only  produce   some 
exterior  and  temporary  effects.    Yet 
in  its  inherent  quality,  tendency,  and 


capability,  it  is  the  same.  Just  as 
the  same  sunlight  that  falls  upon  an 
opaque  substance  and  brightens  only 
the  outer  surface,  leaving  darkness 
within,  may  fall  upon  one  that  is 
thoroughly  transparent,  and  meeting 
with  no  obstruction,  it  penetrates 
and  irradiates  its  innermost  depths. 
—  For  days  long  extended.  Heb. 
for  length  of  days.  We  have  already- 
had  this  expression  in  xxi.  4,  fol- 
lowed by  olam  vcfed,  forever  and 
alway.  The  present  life  only  may 
have  been  in  the  mind  of  the  Psalm- 
ist, but  it  is  scarcely  possible  in  view 
of  his  relation  of  grace  and  favour 
with  the  eternal  and  unchangeable 
Jehovah,  as  just  described,  that  he 
should  not  have  regarded  this  rela- 
tion as  necessarily  permanent.  It 
may  be  that  he  used  this  in  prefer- 
ence to  either  of  the  usual  expres- 
sions of  everlasting  continuance,  be- 
cause his  mind  was  fixed  on  his  resi- 
dence in  God's  house,  not  so  much 
with  reference  to  its  having  no  end, 
as  to  its  being  a  life  of  protracted 
and  continual  enjoyment.  Every  day 
and  every  hour  must  have  its  own 
peculiar  sweetness,  which  might  be 
extended  to  eternity  without  weari- 
ness. Assuming  that  he  shall  never 
again  be  cast  out  into  the  wilder- 
ness, he  brings  out  more  fully  all  that 
lies  in  the  last  word  of  the  familiar 
combination  "forever  and  alway." 
See  note  at  xlv.  6.  The  same  ex- 
pression, "  extension  of  days,"  is 
found  in  xci.  16.  —  I  shall  dwell, 
or  /  shall  return,  depending  on  a 
doubtful  form ;  but  if  the  latter  is 
the  true  meaning,  a  subsequent  abid- 
ing is  implied. 


68  THE  PSALMS. 


XXIV. 

THE  GLORIOUS  KING  COMES  TO  ZION. 

THIS  Psalm  celebrates*  the  removal  of  the  ark  from  Kirjath  Jearim  to 
the  ancient  citadel  of  Zion;  2  Sam.  vi.  17 ;  compare  xi.  n,  and  i  Kings 
i.  39.  It  is  similar  to  Ps.  xv.,  which  was  perhaps  a  later  amplification  of 
the  first  six  verses.  This  former  part  is  strongly  marked,  as  distinct  in 
subject  and  character  from  the  following  four  verses,  and  each  portion 
seems  complete  in  itself.  Some  have  inferred  from  this  that  two  Psalms 
originally  separate  have  here  been  combined.  But  it  is  in  the  highest  degree 
probable  that  in  preparing  a  liturgical  Psalm  for  the  occasion  referred  to, 
the  service  would  be  divided  for  use  at  different  stages  of  the  advance  of 
the  solemn  procession  toward  the  spot  where  the  sacred  burden  should  be 
deposited.  The  former  section  (1-6),  like  Ps.  xv.,  would  be  suitable  when 
they  reached  the  foot  of  Mount  Zion  or  during  the  ascent,  and  the  latter 
when  they  reached  the  gateway  of  the  citadel. 

"  Incorporated  in  Israel's  hymn-book,  this  Psalm  became,  with  regard  to 
its  original  occasion  and  purpose,  an  Old  Testament  Advent  hymn  in 
honour  of  the  Lord  who  should  come  into  His  temple,  Mai.  iii.  i;  and  the 
cry,  « Lift  up,  ye  gates,  your  heads,'  obtained  a  meaning  essentially  the 
same  as  that  of  the  voice  of  the  crier  in  Is.  xl.  3.  « Prepare  ye  Jehovah's 
way,  make  smooth  in  the  desert  a  road  for  our  God.'  In  the  New  Testa- 
ment consciousness,  the  second  appearing  takes  the  place  of  the  first,  — the 
coming  of  the  Lord  of  Glory  to  His  Church,  which  is  His  spiritual  temple  ; 
and  in  this  Psalm  we  are  called  upon  to  prepare  Him  a  worthy  reception." 
—  Delitzsch. 

1.  A  general  chorus,  praising  the  God  of  the  whole  earth  (1,  2).  2.  The  question, 
perhaps  of  a  single  voice,  "  Who  may  ascend"  etc.,  the  place  chosen  for  the  ark,  already 
by  anticipation  regarded  as  "  holy  "  (3).  3.  The  response,  perhaps  also  a  solo,  "He 
whose  hands  are  clean,"  etc.  (4,  5).  4-.  The  -voice  of  the  general  chorus,  "This  is  the 
race,"  etc.  (6). 

The  second  part,  sung  at  the  gates  of  Zion  :  1.  A  general  chorus,  calling  upon 
the  citadel  to  open  its  gates  to  Jehovah  (7).  2.  The  response  of  a  single  -voice,  describ- 
ing Jehovah  as  the  King  of  glory  (9).  3.  The  general  chorus  takes  up  the  question 
and  replies  with  emphasis  (10).  (So  Briggs,  following  Delitzsch.) 

BY   DAVID.      A   PSALM. 

1  The  earth  is  Jehovah's,  and  the  fulness  thereof,  ' 
The  world  with  all,  that  are  dwelling  therein ;     J 

2  For  by  Him  was  it  based  on  the  seas, 
It  was  He  made  it  firm  on  the  floods. 


PSALM   XXIV.  69 

3  Who  may  ascend  the  hill  of  Jehovah, 
In  His  holy  pla£e,  who  may  rise  up? 

4  He  of  innocent  hands,  and  a  heart  that  is  pure; 
Who  lifts  not  his  soul  unto  evil, 

And  takesjio  oath  with  deceit. 

5  Blessing  is-Jjjs  from  Jehovah, 

And  righteous£ess,  given  by  his  God  of  salvation ; 

6  Such  is  the  race  that  inquireth  to  know  Him; 

It  is  Jacob,  O  God,  that  seeketh  Thy  face.     [Selah.] 

7  Lift  your  heads,  O  ye  gates ; 
Be  lifted,  ye  doors  ,of  old  time, 

That  the  glorious  King  may  come  in. 

8  Who  is  He  —  this  glorious  King? 
Jehovah,  the  Strong  One,  the  Champion, 

Jehovah,  the  Champion  in  battle. 

9  Lift  your  heads,  O  ye  gates, 
Be  lifted,  ye  doors  of  old  time, 

That  the  glorious  King  may  come  in ! 

10  Who  is  He  —  this  glorious  King? 
Jehovah  of  hosts 

Is  Himself  the  glorious  King. 

6)  It   is   Jacob,   O   God,   that  Jacob  evidently  refers  to  the  descend- 

aeeketh  Thy  face.     The  construe-  ants  of  the  patriarch,  especially  those 

tion  here  is  peculiar,  and  the  mean-  who  show  the  same  believing  and 

ing  not  obvious.     It  is  possible  that  obedient  spirit.      It  is  in  explana- 

Elohai  has  been  lost  from  the  text,  tory  apposition  with  the  descriptive 

and  that  the   true  reading  is  "that  phrases  in  this  and  the  preceding 

seek  Thy  face,  O   God  of  Jacob"  line.     The   name,  as  suggestive  of 

(so  the  oldest  Syriac,  and  most  com-  Jacob's  faith  and  piety,  sums  up  the 

mentators)  or,  "  the  face  of  the  God  whole,  and   stands  in  the   Hebrew 

of  Jacob  "  (so  the  Sept.,  Cheyne,  and  in  the  emphatic  place  at  the  close 

others).    But  Hengst.,  Delitzsch,  and  of  the  verse.      Those  who  worship 

Hitzig  accept  the  text  as  correct.    It  God  sincerely  are  true  children  of 

seems  clear  that  God  is  addressed,  Jacob. 

and  in  our  rendering  we  insert  the  Di-  (8)  The  Champion.    Heb.  gibbor, 

vine  Name,  not  as  a  correction,  but  a  mighty  man,  warrior,  hero.     See 

for  greater  perspicuity.     The  name  xix.  6,  xlv.  3. 


70  THE   PSALMS. 


XXV. 

PRAYER  FOR  DELIVERANCE  AND  GUIDANCE. 

THIS  Psalm  cannot  be  identified  with  any  special  events  in  the  life  o£ 
David,  or  in  the  history  of  Israel.  Nothing  decided  can  be  said  to 
prove  or  disprove  its  authorship  by  David.  It  is  one  of  the  nine  Alpha- 
betical Psalms,  in  this  respect  resembling  the  ninth  and  tenth,  and  also  in 
the  fact  that  the  alphabetical  arrangement  is  not  rigidly  carried  out.  But 
this  artificial  structure  by  no  means  proves  that  it  is  of  late  origin. 

The  fundamental  thought,  carried  steadily  through,  is  that  God  favours 
and  helps  those  that  seek  and  serve  Him. 

1.  The  Psalmist  asks  for  deliverance,  instruction,  and  forgiveness  (1-7).  2-  Tke 
didactic  element  prevails,  one  verse  of  prayer  (ver.  11)  being  preceded  and  followed  by 
three  on  the  advantages  of  meekness  and  obedience  (8-1 4)  •  3.  Seven  verses  of  entreaty 
for  personal  deliverance,  followed  by  a  single  intercession  for  Israel  (15-22). 

BY  DAVID. 

1  Unto  Thee,  O  Jehovah,  I  lift  up  my  soul ; 

2  In  Thee  do  I  trust,  O  my  God ; 

Let  me  not  come  to  shame, 
And  give  me  not  up  to  the  triumph  of  foes. 

3  Yea,  let  none  that  are  hoping  in  Thee  come  to  shame, 
Let  those  come  to  shame  who  are  wantonly  faithless. 

4  Thy  ways,  O  Jehovah,  make  me  know, 
Teach  me  Thy  paths ; 

5  In  Thy  faithfulness  guide  me  and  teach  me, 
For  Thou  art  my  God  of  salvation, 

I  wait  for  Thee  all  the  day  long. 

6  Bear  Thy  mercies  in  mind,  O  Jehovah, 

And  Thy  manifold  kindness, 
For  these  are  of  old ; 

7  And  bear  not  in  mind  the  sins  of  my  youth, 

Nor  my  many  trangressions ; 

But  bear  me  in  mind  in  Thine  own  loving-kindness, 
For  the  sake  of  Thy  goodness,  Jehovah. 


PSALM   XXV.  71 

8  Good  and  upright  is  Jehovah, 

He  will,  therefore,  teach  sinners  His  way; 

9  The  humble  He  guides  in  right  doing, 
The  humble  He  instructs  in  His  way. 

10  All  the  paths  of  Jehovah  are  kindness  and  truth, 
To  those  keeping  His  covenant  and  precepts. 

11  For  Thy  Name's  sake,  Jehovah, 

Mine  iniquity  pardon,  because  it  is  great. 

12  What  man  is  he  that  revereth  Jehovah? 

Him  will  He  teach  in  the  way  he  should  choose. 

13  In  blessing  his  soul  shall  abide, 
And  his  offspring  inherit  the  land. 

14  In  close  bonds  with  Jehovah  are  they  that  revere  Him, 
And  His  covenant  He  gave  to  instruct  them. 

15  Mine  eyes  ever  look  to  Jehovah, 

For  my  foot  He  will  free  from  the  net. 

1 6  Turn  toward  me  with  pity, 

For  loneness  and  suffering  are  mine. 

17  Relieve  the  distress  of  my  heart ; 
Bring  me  forth  from  my  troubles. 

1 8  Behold  me  in  suffering  and  anguish, 
And  forgive  all  my  sins. 

19  Behold,  too,  my  foes,  for  they  are  many, 
And  the  hatred  they  bear  me  is  cruel. 

20  Oh,  keep  me,  and  deliver  my  soul ; 
Let  me  not  come  to  shame, 

For  I  hide  me  in  Thee ; 

21  Let  integrity  and  uprightness  keep  me, 

For  in  Thee  is  my  hope. 

22  Redeem  Israel,  O  God, 
Out  of  all  his  distresses. 

(3)  Faithless.    Heb.  bogedtm,  the  personal  advantage,  but  from  sheer 

treacherous ;  \\zre  having  reference  wantonness;  all  things  being  equal, 

to  their  relations  with  God.     Sin  is  they  prefer  evil  to  good, 

treachery  to  solemn  obligations.  —  (14)  In  close  bonds.     Heb.  sdd; 

Wantonly.     Heb.  reqam,  lit.  emp-  prop,  a  conclave  or  divan  for  con- 

tilyj  that  is,  without  cause  ;  not  even  sultation  on  important  affairs.    It  im- 

the  poor  excuse  of  provocation,  or  of  plies  the  most  confidential  relations, 


72  THE   PSALMS. 

in  which  personal  feelings  and  pur-  den  from  others  is  imparted ;  "  Shall 

poses  are  freely  interchanged.      It  I  not  tell  Abraham  ?"    To  be  in  such 

is  used  of  the  secret  association  of  fellowship  with  God  is  the  result  of 

wicked  men  in  Gen.  xlix.  6.     Here  covenant  relations.    Hence  what  fol- 

of  familiar    converse  with   God   in  lows  in  the  same  verse  in  Genesis  and 

which  the  knowledge  of  things  hid-  here.     See  Iv.  14. 


XXVI. 

THE  PLEA  OF  THE  UPRIGHT  SURROUNDED  BY  INFAMY  AND 

OUTRAGE. 

THIS  Psalm  resembles  the  preceding  at  various  points.  Perowne 
observes  the  following  difference  :  "  There  are  wanting  in  this  Psalm 
those  touching  confessions  of  sinfulness,  and  pleadings  for  forgiveness, 
which  in  the  other  are  thrice  repeated.  Here  is  only  the  avowal  of  con- 
scious uprightness, — an  avowal  solemnly  made  in  the  sight  of  the  Searcher 
of  hearts,  and  deriving  no  doubt  much  of  its  intensity  and  almost  impas- 
sioned force  from  the  desire  on  the  part  of  the  singer  to  declare  his  entire 
separation  from  and  aversion  to  the  worthless  and  evil  men  from  whom 
he  here  distinguishes  himself." 

1.  He  appeals  to  God  as  the  witness  of  his  sincerity  and  integrity  (1-3).  2.  He 
describes  his  awn  life  in  his  separation  from  the  "wicked  (4,  5),  and  in  his  delight  in  the 
sanctuary  and  its  worship  (6-8).  3.  An  entreaty  that  he  may  be  distinguished  from 
sinners,  and  enjoy  the  loving  favour  of  God  (9-11).  4-  The  prayer  is  changed  into 
rejoicing  and  praise  (12). 

BY   DAVID. 

1  Give  me  justice,  Jehovah, 

For  my  walk  has  been  blameless ; 
With  unwavering  trust  I  look  to  Jehovah. 

2  Search  me,  Jehovah,  and  try  me, 
And  prove  Thou  my  spirit  and  heart. 

3  For  THY  lovingkindness  I  keep  in  my  sight, 
And  I  order  my  way  in  Thy  truth. 

4  I  sit  not  in  council  with  men  that  are  false, 
With  dissemblers  I  go  not ; 

5  The  assembly  of  transgressors  I  hate, 
With  the  wicked  I  will  not  combine. 

6  My  hands  I  in  innocence  wash, 

And  will  compass  Thine  altars,  Jehovah, 

7  To  proclaim  with  the  voice  of  thanksgiving, 
And  to  tell  all  Thy  wonderful  works. 


PSALM  XXVII.  73 

8  I  love,  O  Jehovah,  the  house  where  Thou  dwellest, 
The  place  where  Thy  Glory  abides. 

9  Do  not  gather  my  soul  with  the  wicked, 
My  life  with  the  men  that  shed  blood ; 

10  Who  have  crime  in  their  hand, 
Full  of  bribes  is  their  right  hand. 

1 1  But  I  in  integrity  walk ; 
In  Thy  pity  redeem  me. 

12  On  a  plain  have  my  feet  come  to  stand ; 
Jehovah  will  I  bless  in  the  choirs. 

(4)  Sit  ...  in  council.  Heb.  (12)  On  a  plain  have  my  feet 
yashab.  In  ver.  5  the  same  word  is  come  to  stand,  etc.  Delitzsch  : 
rendered  combine.  Prop,  to  sit,  yet  "  The  Epilogue.  The  prayer  is 
not  confined  to  sitting  as  a  bodily  changed  into  rejoicing,  which  is  cer- 
posture,  but  modified  by  the  connec-  tain  of  the  answer  that  shall  be  given, 
tion.  Sometimes,  on  a  throne,  to  be  Hitherto  shut  in,  as  it  were,  in  deep 
enthroned,  or  in  a  house,  to  dwell,  trackless  gorges,  he  even  now  feels 
Here  of  association  for  evil  pur-  himself  to  be  standing  upon  a  pleas- 
poses  ;  sitting  in  conclave  or  consul-  ant  plain,  commanding  a  wide  range 
tation  about  some  wicked  enterprise  of  vision,  and  now  blends  his  grate- 
in  which  they  combine.  Notice  the  ful  praise  of  God  with  the  song  of 
parallelism  in  both  verses,  and  see  the  the  worshipping  congregation  and 
notes  on  the  derived  noun  moshab,  its  full-voiced  choirs."  The  Heb. 
prim,  a  seat,  at  i.  I,  and  at  xxv.  14.  maqhelim  (prop,  convocations)  is 

(8)  Where  Thy   Glory  abides,  sometimes  used,  in  connection  with 

The  parallelism  with  "  Thy  House  "  singing  praise,  of  the  organized  band 

in  the  preceding  line  shows  that  he  of  singers,  Ps.  Ixviii.  26. 
refers  to  the  manifestation  of  God's 
presence  in  the  Holy  of  Holies. 


XXVII. 

DEVOUT  CONFIDENCE  IN   GOD. 

WE  connect  this  Psalm,  like  the  preceding,  with  the  rebellion  of  Absa- 
lom and  David's  separation  from  the  privileges  of  the  sanctuary. 
In  the  midst  of  danger  we  see  the  same  confidence  in  God,  and  the  same 
courageous  spirit  that  cries  in  Ps.  Hi.,  "  I  fear  not  the  myriads  of  people 
that  surround  me  on  every  side."  This,  however,  applies  only  to  the  first 
seven  verses.  From  that  point  the  subject  and  style  change,  and  the 
authorship  by  David  is  more  questionable.  The  portion  7-14  may  have 
been  added  at  a  later  date  by  another  hand ;  yet  possibly  by  David  himself 
in  a  different  mood. 


74  THE    PSALMS. 

1.  Fearless  confidence  in  the  grace  and  power  of  God  (1-3}.  2.  Longing  for  the 
house  of  God  with  anticipated  satisfaction  (£-6).  3,  Prayers  for  Divine  favour,  help, 
guidance^  and  deliverance  (7-12).  4"  Self-encouragement  to  fuller  confidence  (13, 14). 

BY   DAVID. 

1  Jehovah  is  my  light  and  salvation  ; 

Then  whom  shall  I  fear? 
Jehovah  my  stronghold  of  life ; 
Before  whom  shall  I  tremble? 

2  When  the  wicked  assailed  me, 

To  feed  on  my  flesh, 
My  oppressors  and  foes 

Then  stumbled  and  fell. 

3  Though  a  host  camp  against  me, 

My  heart  shall  not  fear ; 
Should  war  rise  against  me, 
Even  then  would  I  trust. 


4  This  one  thing  I  asked  of  Jehovah, 

And  still  do  I  seek ; 
To  dwell  in  the  house  of  Jehovah 
All  the  days  of  my  life, 

That  with  joy  I  may  gaze  on  Jehovah's  fair  grace, 
And  make  search  through  His  royal  abode. 

5  When  the  evil  day  comes, 

In  His  bower  will  He  hide  me  ; 
In  His  tent  out  of  sight  will  conceal, 
On  a  rock  will  exalt  me. 

6  And  higher  shall  now  be  my  head 

Than  my  foes  that  surround  me  ; 
In  His  tent  shall  mine  offering  be  jubilant  praise, 
With  the  harp  will  I  sing  to  Jehovah. 

7  Hear  my  voice  when  I  call,  O  Jehovah, 
Show  me  pity  and  answer  ; 

8  When  Thou  saidst  to  me,  "  Seek  ye  My  face," 
From  my  heart  came  response, 

"  O  Jehovah,  Thy  face  will  I  seek." 


PSALM  XXVII. 


75 


9   Conceal  not  Thy  face  from  my  sight ; 
Reject  not  Thy  servant  in  anger  ; 
Cast  me  not  off  nor  forsake  me, 
O  God,  my  salvation. 

10  For  forsaken  by  father  and  mother, 
Jehovah  Himself  will  receive  me. 

1 1  Teach  me  Thy  way,  O  Jehovah ; 
In  plain  paths  do  Thou  lead  me 

Because  of  my  foes ; 

12  To  the  will  of  mine  enemies  yield  me  not  up, 
For  false  witnesses  rise  up  against  me, 

And  cruel  the  words  they  breathe  out. 

13  Oh,  had  I  not  hope  of  enjoying 

The  goodness  of  Jehovah  in  the  land  of  the  living — 

14  Look  to  Jehovah ; 

Hold  fast,  let  thy  heart  be  courageous, 
And  look  to  Jehovah. 


(4)  That  "with  joy  I  may  gaze. 
Heb.  hhazah,  to  gaze  upon;  see  on 
ix.  n,  xvii.  15.  Like  ra'ah,  to  see, 
and  other  verbs  of  sense,  when  fol- 
lowed by  the  preposition  beth  Q),  it 
means  to  see  with  pleasure,  to  feast 
the  eyes  upon.  So  also  the  verb  that 
follows,  biqqer,  to  search  out,  to  ex- 
plore, having  the  same  preposition, 
implies  an  object  of  desire,  and  great 
satisfaction  in  finding.  —  Fair  grace. 
Heb.  sweetness  to  the  taste;  then 
pleasantness  to  the  eye.  It  refers 
to  all  gracious  manifestations.  See 
xc.  17. 

(6)  Shall  my  offering  be  jubi- 
lant praise.  Lit.  /  will  sacrifice  sac- 
rifices of  loud  sound;  Heb.  teru'ah 
(Hynn),  comp.  zibhhe  tdddh,  sacrifices 
of  praise,  Ps.  cvii.  22.  "The  con- 
text decides  whether  the  sound  is 
that  of  a  trumpet  (Num.  x.  10),  a 
voice  singing  (xxxiii.  3),  or  a  voice 
shouting  (Ixxxix.  16)."  —  Chevne.  — 
With  the  harp  will  I  sing.  Heb.  / 
will  sing  and  will  harp.  On  the 


second  of  these  verbs  (simmer)  see 
note  upon  vii.  17. 

(10)  For  forsaken  by  father  and 
mother.  This  is  not  hypothetical 
as  in  the  A.  V.,  but  a  statement  of 
fact.  It  does  not  imply  wilful  de- 
sertion by  parents,  nor  their  recent 
loss,  and  does  not  oblige  us  to  attri- 
bute the  Psalms  to  some  other  than 
David.  It  only  asserts  that  in  great 
trouble  all  help  from  man  fails  him  ; 
he  has  no  father  or  mother  on  earth, 
but  the  all-sufficient  God  has  gathered 
him  into  His  own  household,  and 
protects  him  from  all  harm.  The 
former  verb  is  in  the  perfect  tense  ; 
the  forsaking  is  a  thing  of  the  past. 
The  latter  is  in  the  imperfect,  a  con- 
tinuous parental  kindness. 

(13)  Oh,  had  I  not  hope,  etc.  In 
his  strong  feeling  he  leaves  the  sen- 
tence incomplete.  It  implies  that 
his  faith  in  God  has  sustained  him, 
and  virtually  says  that  if  it  had  not 
he  must  have  perished. 


76  THE   PSALMS. 

XXVIII. 

CRY  FOR  HELP,  AND  THANKSGIVING. 

THERE  is  nothing  in  this  Psalm  that  indicates  positively  its  historic 
connection.    Yet  there  are  points  of  resemblance  to  several  of  those 
that  seem  to  belong  to  the  time  of  Absalom's  rebellion.     There  is  no  good 
reason  for  setting  aside  the  title  which  ascribes  it  to  David. 

1.  He  prays  for  deliverance  and  judgment  (1-5).    2.  He  gives  thanks  for  both  (6-9). 

BY  DAVID. 

1  Unto  Thee,  O  Jehovah,  I  call; 

Turn  Thee  not  from  me  in  silence,  my  Rock ; 
Lest  if  THOU  shouldst  keep  silence, 

I  become  like  men  that  go  down  to  the  pit 

2  Hear  my  suppliant  voice  when  I  cry  for  Thy  help, 
When  I  lift  up  my  hands  to  Thy  holy  retreat. 

3  Oh  drag  me  not  off  with  the  wicked, 

With  those  busy  in  wrong, 
Who  greet  kindly  their  friends, 
But  have  evil  at  heart. 

4  Give  them  wage  for  their  work, 

For  the  evil  they  do ; 

As  their  hands  have  wrought  do  Thou  give  them ; 
Let  them  have  their  desert. 

5  Because  they  regard  not  the  deeds  of  Jehovah, 

The  work  wrought  by  His  hands, 
He  will  therefore  destroy, 

And  will  not  rebuild  them. 

6  Jehovah  be  blessed, 

For  He  heard  my  suppliant  voice. 

7  Jehovah,  my  stronghold  and  shield, 

In  Him  my  heart  trusts  and  He  helps  me ; 
With  my  heart  full  of  joy, 

In  my  song  will  I  praise  Him. 


PSALM   XXIX.  77 

8  To  His  people  is  Jehovah  a  stronghold, 
To  His  anointed  a  fortress  of  safety ; 

9  Deliver  Thy  people,  Thy  heritage  bless ; 
Be  their  Shepherd,  and  bear  them  forever. 

(2)  Cry  for  Thy  help.  Heb.  shava         (9)  Be  their  Shepherd.  The  Heb 

Qn$),  distinctly  to  cry  for  help,  and  verb  ra'ah  (n;n),  to  tend  a  flock,  em- 

not  merely  to  express  suffering  by  an  bracing   all  that  is  included  in  the 

outcry.  —  Retreat.    Heb.  d'bir,  pro-  work  of  a  shepherd.     The  feeding 

perly  the  hinder  or  inner  part.     In  is  a  small  part  of  it.     The   active 

i  Kings  vi.  19,  22,  the  inner  sanctuary  participle  of  this  verb  means  a  shep- 

of  the  tabernacle  and  temple ;   the  herd.    This  verse  is  delightfully  sug- 

holy  of  holies.  gestive  of  Is.  xl.  u,  which  was  prob- 

(3)  Who  greet    kindly.      Heb.  ably  in  the  poet's  mind :  "  He  shall 
dibre  shalom,   speaking  peace,   but  feed  His  flock  like  a  shepherd,  He 
with  all  the  breadth  of  the  Oriental  shall  gather  the  lambs  in  His  arm, 
salaam,  wishing  health,   prosperity,  and  bear  them  in  His  bosom." 

and  blessing. 


XXIX. 


THE  THUNDER-STORM. 

HP  HE  occasion  of  this  Psalm  is  a  thunder-storm.  It  is  not,  however, 
-L  limited  to  the  outward  natural  phenomenon,  but  therein  is  perceived 
the  self-attestation  of  the  God  of  the  history  of  redemption.  Just  as  in  the 
second  part  of  Psalm  xix.,  the  God  of  the  revelation  of  salvation  is  called 
Jehovah  seven  times,  in  distinction  from  the  God  revealed  in  nature,  so  in 
this  Psalm  "  the  voice  of  Jehovah  "  is  repeated  seven  times,  so  that  it  may 
be  called  the  Psalm  of  the  seven  thunders  (Rev.  x.  3). 

Between  two  verses  of  introduction,  and  two  of  conclusion,  there  are  seven  verses 
celebrating  the  voice  of  Jehovah. 

1  Give  Jehovah,  ye  sons  of  the  mighty, 
Give  glory  and  strength  to  Jehovah ; 

2  Give  Jehovah  the  glory  of  His  Name ; 
Oh  worship  Jehovah  in  holy  attire. 

3  On  the  waters  the  voice  of  Jehovah ! 
It  is  God  in  His  glory  that  thunders ; 

Jehovah  is  on  the  great  waters ; 

4  The  voice  of  Jehovah  with  power ! 
The  voice  of  Jehovah  in  grandeur ! 


78  THE   PSALMS. 

5  The  voice  of  Jehovah  is  rending  the  cedars, 
The  cedars  of  Lebanon  Jehovah  is  rending; 

6  And  he  makes  them  to  spring  like  a  calf, 
Lebanon  and  Sirion  like  young  of  the  deer ; 

7  The  voice  of  Jehovah  hews  out  flashes  of  fire ! 

8  The  voice  of  Jehovah  convulses  the  desert; 
Jehovah  convulses  the  desert  of  Kadesh. 

9  The  voice  of  Jehovah  brings  hinds  to  their  travail. 

And  the  forest  strips  bare, 
While  all  in  His  palace  cry,  "  Glory !  " 

10  Jehovah  sat  enthroned  at  the  flood, 

And  Jehovah  forever  sits  enthroned ; 
Jehovah  gives  strength  to  His  people ; 

Jehovah  is  blessing  His  people  with  peace. 

(2)  In  holy  attire.     Heb.   Uka-    themselves  cloven  as  by  some  sharp 
drath  qodesh,  properly  in  holy  deco-     instrument. 

ration;  that  is,  clothed  in  the  vest-  (8)  Convulses  the  desert.     Not 

ments  worn  on  the  great  festivals,  perhaps   of  an   earthquake    accom- 

So  xcvi.  9,  and  the  masc.  form  hadre  panying    the     thunder-storm     (De- 

qodesh  in  ex.  3.     It  refers  here  to  the  litzsch),  but  of  the  tremulous  motion 

dress  of  the  priesthood,  and  implies  as   of  some  heavy  concussion  that 

with  it  all  the  solemn  rites  of  worship  accompanies   the    loudest    peals   of 

as  Divinely  instituted.  thunder. 

(3)  On  the  waters.     Not  the  wa-  (9)  His  palace.    Heb.  hekaL   See 
ters  of  the  sea,  but  those  suspended  v.  7.   Throughout  the  Psalm  Jehovah 
in  the  black  masses  of  cloud,  xviii.  is  presented  in  His  royal  majesty,  and 
12,  Jer.  x.  12.  every  burst  of  thunder  that  echoes 

(7)  Plashes  of  fire.     The  light-  through  His  stately  abode  proclaims 

nings  that  dart  from  the  cloud,  as  if  His  omnipotence,  and  is  a  signal  to 

they  were  produced  by  the  thunder,  the  whole  heavenly  host  to  give  glory 

hewn  off  from  the  great  mass,  and  to  His  holy  Name. 


PSALM   XXX.  79 


XXX. 

A  THANKSGIVING  AFTER  RECOVERY  FROM  DANGEROUS 
SICKNESS. 

EVERYTHING  here  indicates  that  David  was  the  author,  and  that  it 
relates  to  a  personal  experience  of  God's  favour  in  his  recovery  from 
almost  fatal  illness.  There  is  no  apparent  allusion  to  the  dedication  of  a 
house,  whether  his  own  palace  or  the  temple,  such  as  we  should  expect 
from  the  title.  The  Psalm  is  mentioned  in  the  Jewish  Ritual  as  the  song 
for  the  Dedication,  —  referring  to  the  feast  instituted  in  the  time  of  Judas 
Maccabeus  (165  B.C.) to  commemorate  the  purification  of  the  temple  from 
its  desecration  by  Antiochus  Epiphanes.  Riehm  suggests  with  strong 
probability  that  the  original  title  was  "  A  Psalm.  By  David,"  and  that  it 
was  enlarged  when  it  came  to  be  used  as  just  mentioned. 

The  poet  feels  impelled  to  make  known  God's  gracious  dealings  with 
him,  and  to  urge  all  others  to  the  same  high  confidence  that  glows  in  his 
own  heart. 

1.  Thankful  recognition  of  Divine  power  and  grace  in  delivering  him  from  immi- 
nent peril  of  death  (1-3).  2.  A  call  to  others  to  praise  God  for  His  long-suffering  and 
compassion  (4,5).  3.  He  reviews  more  specifically  his  past  experiences:  (a)  his 
former  self-confidence ;  (b)  his  delusion  dispelled;  (c)  his  expostulations  and  en- 
treaties (6-10).  £.  A  final  burst  of  thanksgiving  for  the  great  change  in  his  life 
through  God's  gracious  interposition  (11, 12). 

A   PSALM.      A   SONG  AT   THE  DEDICATION   OF   THE   HOUSE.      BY  DAVID. 

1  I  extol  Thee,  Jehovah, 

That  Thou  liftedst  me  up, 
And  no  joy  in  my  ruin 

Hast  Thou  given  my  foes. 

2  O  Jehovah,  my  God, 

I  cried  out  for  Thy  help, 
And  Thou  sentest  me  healing. 

3  From  the  world  underneath 

Hast  thou  brought  up  my  soul ; 
Thou  hast  called  me  to  life 

From  the  depths  of  the  grave. 

4  O  ye  men  of  His  love, 

Strike  the  harp  to  Jehovah  ; 
Sing  praise  to  His  holy  memorial  Name. 


80  THE   PSALMS. 

5  He  is  wrathful  a  moment, 

But  gracious  a  lifetime ; 

Though  weeping  come  in  at  the  evening  to  lodge, 
Glad  shoutings  are  heard  at  the  dawn. 

6  But  I  said,  self-confiding, 

"  I  shall  never  be  shaken." 

7  Through  thy  favour,  Jehovah, 

Hadst  Thou  made  my  mountain  stand  strong ; 
When  Thou  hidedst  Thy  face 
I  quailed  in  dismay. 

8  Then  to  Thee,  O  Jehovah,  I  called, 

I  entreated  Jehovah : 

9  "  What  wilt  Thou  gain  by  my  death 

And  descent  to  the  grave? 
Can  the  dust  give  Thee  thanks, 
Or  speak  of  Thy  truth? 

10  O  Jehovah,  give  ear, 

Let  Thy  pity  be  shown  ; 
Oh  help  me,  Jehovah." 

11  A  glad  change  hast  Thou  wrought, 

Giving  dancing  for  sorrow; 
Yea,  my  sackcloth  hast  loosed, 

And  hast  girt  me  with  gladness ; 

12  That  my  soul  may  sing  songs, 

That  it  may  not  be  silent ; 
O  Jehovah,  my  God, 

I  will  praise  Thee  forever. 

(i)  Liftedst  me  up.     Heb.  dillt-  zeker  qodesh,  holy  memorial.    De- 

thani,  hast  drawn  me  up,  as  of  one  litzsch :  "  Instead  of  '  the  Name  of 

sunken  in  the  depths   of  suffering  Jehovah,'    we  find   the  expression 

and  horror  that  are  described  in  the  *  memorial '  in  this  instance  and  in 

following    verses    (comp.   xviii.    16,  xcvii.  12,  after  Ex.  iii.  15.     Jehovah 

Ixxxviii.  4,  Jon.  ii.  3).  by  revealing  Himself  renders  Him- 

(3)  The  -world  underneath.  Heb.  self  capable  of  being  both  revered 
sheol.     See  on  ix.  15.  and   remembered,  and  that  in  the 

(4)  Ye  men  of  His  love.     Heb.  most  illustrious  manner.     The  his- 
hhastdim,  His  beloved.    See  on  iv.  3.  tory  of  redemption  is  as  it  were  an 
—  Strike  the  harp.   Heb.zamm'ru,  unfolding  of  the  name  of  Jehovah, 
properly,  strike  the  strings  of  a  mu-  and  at  the  same  time  the  setting  up 
sical   instrument;   sometimes   more  of  a  monument,  the  establishment  of 
general,  to  make  music.    See  on  vii.  a  memorial,  and  in  fact  of  a  holy  me- 
17. — Holy  memorial  Name.    Heb.  morial,  because  all  God's  attestations 


PSALM   XXXI. 


81 


flow  from  the  sea  of  the  light  of  His 
holiness." 

(5)  Come  in  ...  to  lodge.    Heb. 
yalin,  from  lun,  to  pass  the  night, 
implying  merely  the  night,  in  distinc- 
tion from  permanent  abiding. 

(6)  But  I.    Heb.  and  I ;  the  pro- 
noun, otherwise  unnecessary,  empha- 
sizes the  foolish  thought  01  his  own 
heart  in   contrast  with   the  reality. 
This  emphasis  and  contrast  require 
the  conjunction  "  but "  for  their  ex- 
pression. —  Self-confiding.       Heb. 
Vshalvi,  in  my  tranquillity,  arising, 
as  the  following  words  show,  from 
confidence  in  being  able  to  maintain 
his  position,  irrespective  of  Divine 
support  and  blessing.     Be  shaken. 
Heb.    mut,  to  totter,  as  by  violent 
shaking.     It  anticipates  the  "moun- 
tain" of  the  following  verse.     See 
xxi.  8,  xlvi.  2. 

(7)  My  mountain ;  that  is,  Mount 


Zion  as  representing  figuratively  the 
kingdom  of  David  in  its  promised 
stability. 

(9)  Perowne :  "  The  truth  seems 
to  be  that  whilst  ^  faith  of  the  Old 
Testament  saints  in  God  was  strong 
and  childlike,  their  hope  of  immor- 
tality was  at  best  dim  and  wavering; 
brightening  perhaps  for  a  moment 
when  the  heart  was  rejoicing  in  God 
as  its  portion,  and  then  again  almost 
dying  away." 

(11)  See  the  counterpart  to  this 
verse  in  Jer.  xxxi.  16. — My  sack- 
cloth hast  loosed.  Clothing  of  sack- 
cloth (see  Esth.  iv.  2)  was  fastened 
to  the  body  by  a  cord  as  an  expres- 
sion of  sorrow  and  humiliation  be- 
fore God.     Comp.  "  girding  of  sack- 
cloth," Is.  iii.  24. 

(12)  My   soul.     Heb.  kabod  for 
kabodi,  my  glory,  as  in  vii.  5,  xvi.  9, 
cviii.  i. 


XXXI. 


ONE    SORELY   PERSECUTED    SURRENDERS    HIMSELF  INTO   THE 
HAND   OF  GOD. 

THIS  Psalm  is  attributed  by  Hitzig  and  Ewald  to  Jeremiah,  on  account 
of  some  resemblance  in  thought  and  language.  Moll  says  to  the 
contrary :  "  If  partly  the  elegiac  softness,  and  partly  the  character  of  the 
language  remind  us  of  Jeremiah,  yet  as  Hupfeld  states,  there  is  no  evidence 
in  this  for  the  composition  of  the  Psalm  by  Jeremiah,  especially  as  there 
are  frequently  found  in  this  prophet  expressions  and  turns  of  thought  from 
more  ancient  books,  particularly  from  the  Psalms."  This  important  re- 
mark furnishes  a  reply  to  many  opinions  of  the  modern  critical  school, 
assigning  to  a  later  date  on  similar  grounds. 

1.  Prayer  for  deliverance  (1,  2}  based  on  confidence  in  the  grace  of  God  (3-5),  espe- 
cially as  previously  exhibited  to  himself  (6-8).  2.  Description  of  present  trouble, 
rising  anew  to  protestations  of  trust,  and  assurance  of  being  heard  (14--18). 
3.  Thankful  praise,  with  exhortation  to  believing  hope  in  God  (^3,2^). 

A   PSALM    OF   DAVID. 

I    In  Thee  I  take  refuge,  Jehovah, 

Let  me  ne'er  come  to  shame  ; 
In  Thy  righteousness  grant  me  an  escape. 
6 


82  THE   PSALMS. 

2  Bend  Thine  ear  and  make  haste  to  my  rescue ; 
Let  me  find  Thee  a  stronghold  of  rock, 

A  fortified  dwelling  to  save  me. 

3  For  my  cliff  and  my  refuge  art  THOU ; 

For  the  sake  of  Thy  Name  Thou  wilt  lead  me  and  guide  me  ; 

4  Bring  me  out  of  the  net  they  have  hid, 
For  from  THEE  my  deliverance  must  come. 

5  Into  Thy  hand  I  yield  up  my  spirit, 

For  Thou  Jehovah,  God  of  truth,  hast  redeemed  me; 

6  Those  that  hope  in  vain  idols  Thou  hatest; 
But  I,  in  Jehovah  I  trust. 

7  Let  me  joy  and  exult  in  Thy  kindness, 
Who  hast  seen  mine  affliction, 

Hast  known  the  distress  of  my  soul, 

8  And  hast  not  shut  me  up  in  the  enemy's  power, 
But  my  feet  hast  Thou  set  in  broad  space. 

9  O  Jehovah,  have  pity,  for  I  suffer  sore  pressure ; 
Withered  through  grief  are  mine  eyes, 

Yea,  my  soul  and  my  body ; 

10  For  my  life  wastes  in  sorrow, 

My  years  pass  in  sighing; 
Because  of  my  sins  has  my  strength  fallen  off, 
And  my  bones  are  consumed. 

1 1  All  my  foes  make  me  a  mark  for  reviling, 

Most  of  all  to  my  neighbours  ; 
Mine  acquaintance  behold  me  with  fear  ; 
Those  that  see  me  abroad  flee  away. 

12  Forgotten,  like  the  dead  out  of  mind, 
I  become  like  a  thing  left  to  perish ; 

13  For  I  hear  the  sly  creeping  of  many  defamers, 

All  around  there  is  horror; 
In  their  plotting  against  me, 

They  would  fain  take  my  life. 

14  But  I,  O  Jehovah,  in  Thee  do  I  trust, 
I  say  to  Thee,  Thou  art  my  God. 


PSALM  XXXI.  83 

15  In  Thy  hand  are  my  times  ; 

Snatch  me  away  from  the  hand  of  my  foes, 
And  from  those  that  pursue  me. 

1 6  Make  Thy  face  to  shine  on  Thy  servant; 
In  Thy  great  lovingkindness,  oh  save  him : 

17  Let  me  never  come  to  shame,  O  Jehovah, 

For  on  Thee  do  I  call ; 
Let  the  wicked  come  to  shame, 

In  the  world  of  the  dead  put  to  silence ; 

1 8  Stricken  dumb  be  the  lips  that  speak  lies, 
Those  whose  words  of  the  righteous  are  insult, 

With  pride  and  contempt. 

19  How  great  is  Thy  goodness,  stored  up  for  Thy  servants ; 
Dealt  out  unto  all  that  take  refuge  in  Thee, 

In  sight  of  the  children  of  men. 

20  As  a  covert  Thy  presence  shall  hide  them 

From  the  wranglings  of  men ; 
In  a  bower  Thou  wilt  screen  them 
From  contention  of  tongues. 

21  Jehovah  be  blessed, 

Who  shows  me  His  marvellous  kindness 
In  a  city  with  walls. 

22  But  I,  in  my  peril  I  said, 

I  am  cut  off  from  the  sight  of  Thine  eyes  ; 
Yet  surely  Thou  heardest  my  suppliant  voice 
When  I  cried  for  Thy  help. 

23  Love  Jehovah,  all  that  share  in  His  kindness ; 

For  Jehovah  preserveth  the  faithful, 
But  repayeth  the  proud  in  full  measure. 

24  Hold  fast;   let  your  heart  be  courageous, 

All  ye  that  hope  in  Jehovah. 

(2)  Let  me  find  Thee.     Heb.  be-  grace.    Virtually,  "  Let  me  find  Thee 

come  to  me;  that  is,  manifest 'or prove  now  what  Thou  hast  always  been  in 

Thyself  such.     This  does  not  contra-  the  past." 

diet  the  claim  upon  wh'ch  the  plea  is         (5)  Into  Thy  hand  I  yield  up 

founded  in  ver.  6,  which  is  connected  my  spirit.     Memorable  and  sacred 

with  past  manifestations  of  faithful  forever  are  the  words  in  which  our 


84 


THE   PSALMS. 


Saviour  breathed  out  His  life.  Pe- 
rowne  :  "  My  spirit  (ruahh)  is  more 
than  my  soul  or  life  (nephesh).  It  is 
not  only  from  sickness  and  death, 
but  from  sin  and  all  ghostly  enemies 
that  the  man  of  God  would  be  kept, 
and  therefore  he  commends  to  God, 
not  his  body  or  his  bodily  life  alone, 
but  the  life  of  his  spirit,  which  is 
more  precious  (comp.  Is.  xxxviii.  16, 
'life  of  my  spirit').  I  commend; 
that  is,  place  as  a  deposit,  entrust" 

Delitzsch :  "  The  language  of  the 
prayer  lays  hold  of  life  at  its  root  as 
springing  from  God,  and  as  also  liv- 
ing in  the  believer,  from  God  and  in 
God ;  and  this  life  it  places  under 
His  protection,  who  is  the  true  life 
of  all  spirit  life. 

"The  period  of  David's  persecution 
by  Saul  is  the  most  prolific  in  types 
of  the  Passion ;  and  this  language  of 
prayer,  which  proceeded  from  the 
furnace  of  affliction  through  which 
David  passed,  denotes,  in  the  mouth 
of  Christ,  a  crisis  in  the  history  of 
redemption  in  which  the  Old  Testa- 
ment receives  its  fulfilment.  Like 
David,  He  commends  His  spirit  to 
God,  not  that  He  may  not  die,  but 
that  dying  He  may  not  die;  that  is, 
that  He  may  receive  back  again  His 
spirit, — corporal  life  in  imperishable 
power  and  glory." 

(6)  Thou  hatest.  The  Hebrew 
text  has  I  hate,  but  the  Sept.,  Vulg., 
Arabic,  and  Syriac  Versions  give  the 
2d  person,  which  best  corresponds 
with  the  antithesis  that  follows. 


(7)  Who  hast  seen.     This  verb 
and  the  three  following   are  in  the 
perfect  tense,  and  refer  to  a  past  ex- 
perience of  God's  mercy. 

(8)  In  broad  space.     Heb.  bam- 
merhab,  in  contrast  with  the  preced- 
ing tsaroth,  distresses  (lit.  straits). 

(11)  Most    of   all.      Heb.   trfod 
(1'KD),   especially.      Assuming  that 
this  must  be  a  noun,  Delitzsch  ren- 
ders it  a  burden,  and  proves  satis- 
factorily from  the  Arabic  that  this 
meaning  is  possible.     Cheyne  trans- 
lates it  a  shaking  of  the  head^    But 
there  is  no  sufficient  reason  for  de- 
parting from  the  otherwise  uniform 
rendering:  lit.  and  especially  to  my 
neighbours.      The   conjunction   and 
presents  no  difficulty.     It  attaches  a 
clause  of  further  specification. 

(12)  A  thing.     Heb.  Vli.     Eng. 
Bible,  vessel.     But  the  Hebrew  Vtt 
is  the  name  for  any  article  whatever 
that  is  used  for  any  purpose,  and 
must  sometimes  be  translated  thing; 
as  in  Lev.  xiii.  49,  52,  53,  57,  59. 
Here  it  is  followed  by  the  participle 
^  obed,  perishing,  or  about  to  perish. 

(13)  The  sly  creeping  of  many 
defamers.     Heb.    dibbath    rabblm. 
The  former  from  dabab,  a  mimetic 
word  imitating  the  tapping  of  the 
feet  of  those  going  softly  about  de- 
stroying character,  and  the  following 
line  describes  the  horror  of  those 
who  hear  and  believe  the  base  charges 
of  these  cowardly  slanderers. 


XXXII. 


THE  FORGIVENESS   OF  SINS. 


THIS  is  the  second  of  the  Penitential  Psalms  (see  Ps.  vi.).     As  com- 
pared with  Ps.  li.,  which  belongs  to  the  same  class,  it  shows  an 
advance  in  the  order  of  gracious  experience.     There,  we  have  the  penitent 
in  a  tumult  of  remorse  under  the  burden  of  fresh  sin,  crying  to  God  for 
mercy.    Here  the  storm  has  subsided.     He  has  been  pardoned,  and  peace 


PSALM   XXXII.  85 

has  taken  possession  of  his  soul,  and  adoring  gratitude  for  the  grace  that 
has  been  shown.  With  comparative  calmness  he  can  tell  the  whole  story 
of  his  personal  experience.  The  key-note,  forgiveness  of  sin,  as  the  only 
foundation  for  comfort  and  hope,  is  sounded  in  the  first  verse. 

1.  The  blessedness  of  the  justified  sinner  (1,2).  2.  A  twofold experience :  (a]  pain 
and  distress,  while  he  refused  confession  ;  and  (b)  pardon,  following  immediately  upon 
the  penitent  acknowledgment  of  his  guilt  (3-5).  3.  Encouragement  of  others  to  seek 
similar  relief,  and  his  personal  confidence,  on  the  same  basis,  of  future  protection  from 
all  evil  (6,  7).  4-  Exhortation  (8,9)  and  warning  (10, 11). 

A   MASKIL.      BY  DAVID. 

1  How  happy  is  he  whose  transgression  is  pardoned, 
Whose  sin  is  forgiven  ; 

2  How  happy  the  man  unto  whom  Jehovah  imputeth  no  guilt, 
In  whose  soul  no  deceit  can  be  found. 

3  While  I  spake  not  my  bones  were  consumed 
By  mine  outcries  all  the  day  long; 

4  For  Thy  hand  day  and  night  lay  heavy  upon  me, 
My  moisture  was  turned  into  midsummer  drought. 

5  Then  to  Thee  I  acknowledged  my  sin, 

I  concealed  not  my  guilt; 
I  said,  "  I  confess  mine  ill  deeds  to  Jehovah," 
And  THOU  didst  lift  off  the  guilt  of  my  sin.  [Selah.] 

6  For  this  every  man  in  Thy  love 

Shall  implore  Thee  in  the  time  set  for  finding; 
And  when  the  great  waters  sweep  by, 

He  shall  surely  be  out  of  their  reach. 

7  My  refuge  art  Thou ;  Thou  wilt  guard  me  from  evil, 
And  with  songs  of  deliverance  surround  me.  [Selah.] 

8  In  the  way  thou  shalt  go  will  I  teach  and  instruct  thee, 
And  counsel  will  give  with  mine  eye  fixed  upon  thee ; 

9  Be  ye  not  like  the  horse  or  the  mule, 

That  have  no  understanding; 
Whose  mouth  has  a  bit  and  a  bridle  to  hold  them, 

Or  they  would  not  come  nigh  thee. 
10   Very  many  are  the  wicked  man's  sorrows, 

But  who  trusts  in  Jehovah,  with  love  He  surrounds  him. 


86 


THE   PSALMS. 


n    Be  glad  in  Jehovah,  rejoice,  O  ye  righteous, 
And  joyfully  shout,  all  ye  upright  in  heart. 


(i,  2)  We  have  three  terms  ex- 
pressive of  sin  under  different  as- 
pects. They  all  occur  again  in  ver. 
5.  —  Transgression.  Heb.  ptsha 
(>'tf?),  a  breaking  loost,t  a  tearing 
away  from  God.  —  Sin.  Heb.  hhatta 
(K^n),  missing  the  mark;  that  is,  of 
Divine  approbation. — Guilt.  Heb. 
'avdn  (PUJ);  primarily  twisting  or 
perversion  of  the  nature  and  life.  In 
its  etymology  the  second  (hhatta) 
corresponds  with  the  Greek  hamar- 
tia  from  hamartano.  But  in  usage 
the  prevailing  sense  of  this  word  in 
the  New  Testament,  and  of  'avon 
(No.  3  above)  is  sin  in  its  evil  nature 
and  desert,  as  against  the  Divine  law, 
as  an  act  to  be  pardoned  or  punished, 
best  represented  by  the  word  "  guilt." 
So  we  read  in  ver.  5  the  guilt  of  my 
sin.  It  carries  with  it  so  strongly 
the  idea  of  ill  desert  apart  from  the 


act  itself  that  it  is  sometimes  to  be 
rendered  punishment.  Especially 
see  Gen.  iv.  13  ;  Is.  liii.  6. 

We  have  also  in  these  verses  three 
terms  expressive  of  forgiveness  most 
frequent  in  the  O.  T. :  lifting  of, 
Heb.  nasa'j  covering,  Heb.  kasah, 
as  by  atonement ;  not  reckoning  or 
imputing  guilt.  Heb.  Id  hhashab. 

(2)  No  deceit.  Heb.  Id  remtyah. 
This  refers  to  "  the  deceit  which  de- 
nies and  conceals,  or  extenuates  and 
excuses,  this  or  that  favourite  sin. 
Any  such  sin  designedly  retained  is 
a  secret  curse,  hindering  justifica- 
tion" (Delitzsch). 

(5)  And  Thou  .  .  .  Heb.  atta 
nasatha.  The  pronoun  is  emphatic, 
Thyself,  and  no  other.  The  matter 
of  sin  and  forgiveness  lies  between 
the  individual  sinner  and  God.  It 
cannot  be  disposed  of  by  any  other. 


XXXIII. 


THE  GOD  OF  CREATION,  PROVIDENCE,  AND  GRACE. 

THE  close  relationship  between  this  and  the  preceding  Psalm  has  been 
noted  by  Ewald  and  others.  Its  opening  strain  is  similar  to  the  close 
of  the  former.  There  are  several  other  remarkable  coincidences  with  this 
difference  :  Psalm  xxxii.  is  based  on  a  personal  experience  of  forgiveness 
of  sin  and  maintains  the  character  of  individual  testimony.  Whereas  the 
present  Psalm  moves  throughout  in  the  tone  of  a  hymn  for  the  congregation 
as  such,  expressing  the  happiness  and  security  of  a  people  chosen  as  His 
own  and  guided  by  the  Creator  and  Ruler  of  the  whole  world  (Moll).  Its 
fundamental  thought  appears  in  ver.  12,  which  ascribes  the  same  blessed- 
ness to  the  people  under  God's  special  guidance  and  protection  as  was 
ascribed  to  the  individual  in  xxxii.  2. 

The  Psalm  is  remarkably  symmetrical.  It  begins  and  closes  with  stro- 
phes of  three  couplets  each.  The  intermediate  portion,  containing  the 
matter  of  praise,  is  broken  into  two  principal  parts,  each  consisting  of 
eight  couplets. 


PSALM   XXXIII.  87 

1.  God  worthy  of  all  praise  in  general  aspects  ;  introductory  (1-3).  (a)  As  the  God 
of  Revelation  in  the  kingdom  of  grace  (4,  5).  (b)  As  the  Creator  of  the  world  in  the 
kingdom  of  nature  (6-9).  (c)  As  the  irresistible  Ruler  in  the  history  of  man  (10, 11). 
2.  God  to  be  praised  in  view  of  all  that  His  people  possess  in  Him  as  the  omniscient, 
almighty,  and  immutable  Jehovah^  their  only  and  all-sufficient  reliance  (12-19). 

1  Sing  for  joy  in  Jehovah,  ye  righteous, 

It  is  comely  for  the  upright  to  praise  Him. 

2  With  the  harp  give  ye  thanks  to  Jehovah, 
Sound  the  lute  often  strings  to  His  praise. 

3  Sing  a  new  song  to  His  Name, 
Play  with  skill  and  joyfully  shout. 

4  For  the  word  of  Jehovah  is  upright, 
And  faithful  is  all  He  has  done; 

5  He  delights  to  be  righteous  and  just, 

The  earth  is  full  of  the  kindness  of  Jehovah. 

6  By  the  word  of  Jehovah  the  heavens  were  made, 
All  their  hosts  by  the  breath  of  His  mouth ; 

7  He  gathers  the  waters  of  the  sea  as  a  heap, 
And  in  treasuries  hoards  up  their  depths. 

8  Let  all  the  world  stand  in  awe  of  Jehovah, 
All  that  dwell  in  the  earth,  let  them  tremble ; 

9  When  He  spake  it  was  done, 
His  commandment  stood  fast. 

10  Jehovah  annuls  the  counsel  of  kingdoms, 
He  defeats  the  thoughts  of  the  nations ; 

1 1  But  Jehovah's  counsel  shall  stand  for  all  time, 
The  thoughts  of  His  heart  to  the  uttermost  age. 

12  How  blest  is  the  nation  whose  God  is  Jehovah, 
The  people  He  chose  for  possession; 

13  Jehovah  looks  forth  out  of  heaven, 
He  beholds  all  the  children  of  men ; 

14  From  the  place  where  He  dwells  He  looks  forth 
Upon  all  that  inhabit  the  earth  — 

15  He  that  fashions  the  hearts  of  them  all, 
And  all  they  are  doing  considers. 


88  THE   PSALMS. 

16  A  king  is  not  saved  by  vast  armies, 
Nor  a  nation  set  free  by  great  strength ; 

17  All  in  vain  is  the  horse  for  salvation, 
Though  great  is  his  strength  he  cannot  deliver. 

1 8  But  Jehovah's  eye  is  on  those  that  revere  Him, 
Those  resting  in  hope  on  His  kindness, 

19  To  deliver  their  soul  from  death, 
In  famine  to  keep  them  alive. 

20  Our  soul  waits  for  Jehovah, 

He  alone  is  our  Helper  and  Shield. 

21  For  in  Him  our  heart  shall  rejoice, 
Because  in  His  holy  Name  is  our  trust. 

22  Let  thy  favour,  O  Jehovah,  be  upon  us, 
Forasmuch  as  our  hope  is  in  Thee. 

(3)  A  new  song,  implying  some  tic  action  described.     "  The  idea  is 

new  mighty  deeds  of  Jehovah  and  a  called  forth  of  the  waters  of  the  high 

fresh   impulse   of  gratitude   in  the  sea,  swelling  up  above,  yet  firmly  held 

heart  (xl.  3,  and   frequently  in  the  together  by  Omnipotence  "  (Moll). 

Psalms).   This  and  other  expressions  The  knowledge  of  some  convexity  of 

indicate    that  the  occasion  of   the  the  earth  seems  to  be  implied. 

Psalm  was  some  new  deliverance  of  (10)  The   counsel;    that   is,  the 

the  nation  from  heathen  oppression,  schemes    and    projects   determined 

but  without  war  (Delitzsch).  upon. 

(7)  As  a  heap.  Heb.  nedj  of  a  (16)  Vast  armies.  Heb.  berob 
heap  of  sheaves  in  the  harvest,  Is.  hhdyil.  Lit.  by  great  power,  but 
xvii.  1 1,  reminding  us  of  Ex.  xv.  8;  often  translated  a  host  or  army,  re- 
Josh,  iii.  15, 16;  Ps.  Ixxviii.  13.  Here  f erring  to  power  for  war  ;  R.  V.,  the 
we  have  an  abiding  and  characteris-  multitude  of  a  host. 


XXXIV. 

THANKSGIVING  AND    INSTRUCTION  IN  VIEW  OF  GREAT 
DELIVERANCE. 

THE  title  connects  this  Psalm  with  David's  escape  from  the  wrath  of 
Saul  by  feigning  madness.     There  seems  to  be  no  sufficient  reason 
for  setting  aside  the  tradition  on  which  this  is  based,  and  finding  some 
other  authorship,  with  Hupfeld.     It  is  one  of  the  Alphabetical  Psalms, — 
each  verse  beginning  with  a  letter  of  the  Hebrew  alphabet.    Dr.  Moll 


PSALM   XXXIV.  89 

thinks  (with  Hengstenberg)  this  artificial  construction,  together  with  the 
calm  and  didactic  character  of  the  Psalm,  sufficient  to  show  that  it  was  not 
a  lyric  effusion  produced  under  the  warm  impulses  of  gratitude  at  the  time 
of  the  deliverance,  but  prepared  for  general  purposes  of  devotion  at  some 
later  and  vivid  recollection  of  his  remarkable  preservation.  The  course  of 
thought  is  in  favour  of  this. 

1.  If  is  resolution  and  vow  of  continued  praise  to  God,  with  a  call  to  others  to  join 
hint  (1-3).  2.  His  personal  experience,  and  its  application  to  the  religious  life  of  his 
companions  in  the  service  of  God. 

BY   DAVID,    WHEN    HE   FEIGNED    MADNESS    BEFORE   ABIMELECH ;   AND     HE 
DROVE   HIM   AWAY,   AND   HE   DEPARTED. 

1  Jehovah  will  I  bless  at  all  times, 

And  have  alvvay  His  praise  in  my  mouth. 

2  My  soul  makes  her  boast  in  Jehovah, 
The  suffering  shall  hear  and  rejoice. 

3  Come,  join  me  in  extolling  Jehovah, 
Together  exalting  His  Name. 

4  When  I  sought  for  Jehovah,  He  answered, 
And  freed  me  from  all  that  I  feared. 

5  They  look  unto  Him,  and  are  beaming, 
And  never  let  their  face  yield  to  shame. 

6  When  this  sufferer  called,  Jehovah  gave  ear, 
And  saved  him  from  all  his  distress. 

7  Around  those  that  fear  Him  Jehovah's  angel  encamps ; 
Out  of  danger  he  plucks  them. 

8  Taste  ye  and  see  that  Jehovah  is  good ; 

How  blest  is  the  man  that  takes  refuge  in  Him. 

9  His  holy  ones,  fear  ye  Jehovah, 

They  that  fear  Him  shall  suffer  no  want. 

10  The  young  lions  do  lack  and  are  hungry, 

But  those  seeking  Jehovah  shall  want  no  good  thing. 

1 1  Come,  ye  children,  and  hearken  to  me ; 
Let  me  teach  you  the  fear  of  Jehovah. 

12  Where  is  the  man  that  desires  long  life, 
That  loves  to  see  prosperous  days? 

13  Put  a  guard  on  thy  tongue  to  withhold  it  from  evil, 
On  thy  lips  that  they  utter  no  guile ; 

14  Turn  away  from  the  evil,  and  practise  the  good; 
Inquire  after  peace  and  pursue  it 


)  THE   PSALMS. 

15  The  eyes  of  Jehovah  are  fixed  on  the  righteous, 
And  His  ears  giv$  heed  to  their  cry. 

16  But  the  face  of  Jehovah  is  against  evil  doers, 
To  cut  off  from  the  earth  their  remembrance. 

17  The  righteous  cry,  and  Jehovah  hears  them, 
And  frees  them  from  all  their  distresses. 

1 8  Jehovah  is  near  the  broken  in  heart, 
And  the  crushed  in  spirit  He  saves. 

19  Many  are  the  sufferings  of  the  righteous, 
But  Jehovah  delivers  from  all. 

20  He  preserves  all  their  bones, 
That  not  one  can  be  broken. 

21  Evil  doing  brings  death  to  the  wicked ; 
Held  guilty  are  the  foes  of  the  righteous, 

22  But  Jehovah  redeemeth  the  soul  of  His  servants, 
And  none  are  held  guilty  that  take  refuge  in  Him. 


(5)  They  look.  Heb.  hibbitu, 
from  nabat,  an  intense  look  of  con- 
fidence, desire,  and  expectation.  — 
Are  beaming.  Heb.  naharu.  Lit. 
they  shine,  as  in  Is.  Ix.  I,  "Arise, 
shine ;  for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the 
glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee." 
Here  as  there  it  is  shining  by  reflec- 
tion of  the  Divine  glory.  We  are 
reminded  of  the  shining  of  Moses' 
face  when  he  came  down  from  the 
mount  (Ex.  xxxiv.  29,  30,  35).  But 
a  different  word  is  used  there,  and  it 
describes  a  visible  supernatural  bril- 
liancy, whereas  here  it  is  figurative. 
Comp.  balag,  also  to  shine,  xxxix.  14. 
—  Never  let  their  face  yield  to 
shame,  etc.  Heb.  'al  yahhparu, 
from  hhaphar.  The  neg.  particle 
'al  is  properly  prohibitive  (like  the 
Greek  /i^).  In  poetry,  occasionally, 
it  stands  for  Id,  in  emphatic  declara- 
tion of  what  shall  not  be,  as  if  pro- 
hibiting it.  Here  it  expresses  the 
permanency  of  the  impression  that 
should  be  made  by  any  special  expe- 
rience of  God's  gracious  power.  Let 
those  that  have  received  such  favour 
not  sit  in  gloom,  yielding  to  doubt, 
fear,  and  shame .  The  verb  hhaphar, 


lit.  to  blush,  in  contrast  with  the 
bright  and  hopeful  look  just  spoken 
of.  On  the  other  hand,  tosh,  to  be 
ashamed,  means,  lit.  to  be  pale ;  as 
in  sudden  disappointment  the  blood 
may  be  drawn  to  the  heart,  or  rush 
to  the  face.  For  confirmation  of 
this,  see  Is.  xxiv.  23,  where  the  moon 
is  called,  poetically,  fbendh,  the 
white  one,  and  the  sun,  hhamah,  the 
ritddy  one,  and  we  read  literally, 
*•  Then  the  pale  one  shall  blush,  and 
the  ruddy  one  shall  blanch,"  for 
"  The  moon  shall  be  confounded, 
and  the  sun  ashamed,"  of  the  Eng- 
lish Bible.  These  poetical  names 
for  the  sun  and  moon  are  used  only 
elsewhere  in  Is.  xxx.  26,  and  Cant, 
vi.  10.  Here  we  might  read,  "Never 
let  their  face  blush  for  shame." 

(6)  When  this  sufferer  called. 
This  does  not  necessarily  refer  to 
himself,  but  to  any  individual  near 
at  hand,  whose  countenance  is  beam- 
ing with  joy,  emphatically  illustrat- 
ing the  preceding  verse. 

(7)  Encamps  around,  —  enclos- 
ing them  like  a  wall  of  fire,  so  that 
no  enemy  can  force  his  way  within 
the    circle  so  effectually  guarded. 


PSALM  XXXV.  91 

For  a  remarkable  parallel  see  Zech.        (14)  Peace.     Heb.  shalom,  in  the 

ii.  5,  ix.  8.  full  round  meaning  of  the  word  in 

(9)  His  holy  ones  —  in  the  sense  the  O.  T.  from  shalem,  to  be  whole, 

of  "  a  holy  nation  "  in  Exod.  xix.  6,  I  sound,  including  salvation  from  sin, 

Peter  ii.  9,  and  "  holy  "  in  Ps.  xvi.  3.  and  all  blessing,  as  resulting  from. 

They  are  those  that  He  set  apart  right  relations  with  God. 
from  all  others  as  belonging  pecu-         (21,  22)    Held  guilty.      See  the 

liarly  to  Himself,  and  who  may  be  same   verb,  'asham,  in  Is.  xxiv.  6, 

expected  to  recognize  that  high  dis-  A.  V.  desolate,  R.  V.  found guilty. 
tinction  in  all  practical  ways. 


XXXV. 

A  CRY  OF  TORTURE  AGAINST   MURDEROUS  INJUSTICE. 

THIS  Psalm  is  a  rhythmical  and  agitated  appeal  to  God  for  help  when 
most  sorely  needed.  The  same  three  elements  recur  in  the  three 
chief  divisions,  vv.  i-io,  11-18,  19-28,  but  always  with  different  forms, 
references,  and  figures.  These  are,  (i)  Prayer  that  Jehovah  will  inter- 
fere without  delay  for  the  protection  of  His  servant,  that  his  righteous 
cause  may  be  maintained  and  his  enemies  ruined;  (2)  Description  of  the 
wickedness  and  unthankj 'illness  of  these  enemies,  who  have  previously  re- 
ceived sympathy  and  tokens  of  love  from  him  whom  they  now  persecute 
without  cause ;  and  (3)  Vows  of  thankfulness,  which  the  delivered  man 
will  publicly  offer  to  the  Lord  in  the  great  congregation  of  Israel.  The 
movement  of  these  thoughts  around  in  a  circle  corresponds  throughout 
with  the  deeply  felt  experiences  of  a  heart  that  is  shaken  to  its  founda- 
tion by  intense  and  protracted  suffering,  and  the  disappointment  of  cher- 
ished hopes.  He  can  become  master  of  his  own  emotions  only  gradually, 
and  indeed  only  by  urgently  clinging  to  God. 

In  the  life  of  David  the  most  suitable  time  for  the  composition  of  this 
Psalm  is  found  during  his  persecution  by  Saul,  and  it  is  most  nearly  related 
to  Ps.  xl.  and  Ixix.  It  is  a  lyrical  carrying  out  of  the  words  used  by  David, 
i  Sam.  xxiv.  16,  and  probably  owes  its  place  in  the  collection  of  Psalms  to 
the  circumstance  that  the  Angel  of  Jehovah  is  mentioned  here  in  the  singu- 
lar, as  in  the  preceding  Psalm  (Moll). 

BY  DAVID. 

1  Assail,  O  Jehovah,  mine  assailants, 

Give  battle  to  those  that  give  battle  to  me ; 

2  Grasp  the  shield  and  the  buckler, 
And  arise  to  defend  me. 

3  Draw  the  spear,  and  shut  off  my  pursuers ; 
Say  to  my  soul,  "  It  is  I  that  will  save  thee." 


92  THE   PSALMS. 

4  Put  to  shame  and  confusion  those  seeking  my  life, 
Those  bent  on  my  ruin,  drive  back  in  disgrace : 

5  As  the  wind  drives  the  chaff, 

Let  the  Angel  of  Jehovah  disperse  them ; 

6  Let  their  way  become  dark,  and  in  slippery  paths, 

Let  the  Angel  of  Jehovah  pursue  them. 

7  For  they  hid  for  me  snares  unprovoked, 
Unprovoked  digged  a  pit  for  my  life. 

8  Let  ruin  overtake  him  unawares, 

Let  the  net  which  he  hid  catch  himself; 
In  the  same  destruction  let  him  fall. 

9  Then  my  soul  shall  rejoice  in  Jehovah, 
Shall  exult  in  His  power  to  save ; 

10  My  bones  shall  all  say, 

"  Who,  O  Jehovah,  with  Thee  can  compare, 
Who  deliverest  the  oppressed  from  one  stronger  than  he, 
The  oppressed  and  the  poor  from  his  spoiler?  " 

1 1  Malignant  accusers  are  risen  against  me, 
Who  charge  me  with  that  which  I  know  not ; 

12  They  reward  me  with  evil  for  good, 
Bereavement  is  come  on  my  soul. 

13  But  I  —  in  their  sickness  my  clothing  was  sackcloth, 

My  soul  I  humbled  with  fasting, 
And  my  prayer — to  my  bosom  let  it  turn. 

14  As  if  for  my  friend,  for  my  brother,  I  wandered  about ; 
As  one  mourns  for  a  mother, 

In  garments  of  woe  I  bowed  down. 

15  But  they,  when  my  weakness  came  on, 

Were  glad,  and  they  gathered  against  me, 
They  gathered  with  smiting,  I  knowing  not  when ; 
Without  ceasing  they  rent  me ; 

16  Like  sycophants  vile, 

They  beset  me  with  gnashing  of  teeth. 


PSALM  XXXV.  93 

17  How  long  Thou  beholdest,  O  Lord; 
Recover  my  life  from  the  ruin  they  wrought, 

My  one  only  life  from  the  lions ; 

1 8  And  thanks  will  I  bring  in  the  great  congregation, 
To  a  host  in  full  strength  will  I  praise  Thee. 

19  Let  my  foes  not  rejoice  in  the  lies  that  malign  me, 
Nor  thoSe  wink  the  eye  that  causelessly  hate  me ; 

20  For  they  speak  not  with  peaceful  intent, 
But  frame  plots  'gainst  the  quiet  in  the  land ; 

21  Yea,  against  me  with  wide-open  mouth  they  cry  out, 
"Aha,  with  our  eyes  we  have  seen." 

22  Thou  beholdest,  Jehovah,  keep  not  silence ; 
Be  not  far  from  me,  Lord ; 

23  Awake,  yea,  arouse  Thee  for  justice, 

My  God  and  my  Lord,  in  behalf  of  my  cause. 

24  In  Thy  righteousness  judge  me,  Jehovah,  my  God; 
Let  them  never  exult  in  my  ruin, 

25  Nor  say  in  their  heart, 

"Aha,  what  we  wished  we  now  have." 
Let  them  not  say,  "  We  have  swallowed  him  up." 

26  Let  those  that  rejoice  in  my  sufferings 

Be  ashamed  and  confounded ; 
Let  those  that  swell  proudly  against  me 

Be  clothed  with  contempt  and  disgrace : 

27  But  let  those  that  rejoice  in  knowing  me  righteous 

Shout  aloud  and  be  glad ; 

And  ever  let  them  say,  "  Give  Jehovah  the  glory, 
Who  delights  in  the  good  of  His  servant;" 

28  Then  shall  my  tongue  of  Thy  righteousness  speak, 

All  the  day  long  of  Thy  praise. 

(i)  Assail,  O  Jehovah,  mine  as-  which    God  as  judge  must  decide, 

sailants.      Heb.   ribah   ''eth  fribu.  But  the  injustice  complained  of  is 

Usually  of  ordinary  strife  of  words,  too  defiant  to  yield  except  to   the 

or  of  a  legal  contest.     Here  there  compulsion    of    Omnipotence,    and 

is  reference  to  a  violation  of  rights  God  is  invoked  to  arm  Himself  for 


94 


THE   PSALMS. 


battle.  Perowne:  "An  amplification 
of  the  figure  occurring  already  in  the 
Pentateuch  where  God  is  spoken  of 
as  a  man  of  war,  Ex.  xv.  3,  Deut. 
xxxii.  41 .  The  bold  anthropomorphic 
working  out  of  the  figure  is,  however, 
remarkable.  It  shows  the  earnest 
desire  of  the  poet's  mind  to  realize 
the  fact  that  God  not  only  taught  his 
fingers  to  fight,  but  mixed  in  the  bat- 
tle, fighting  as  it  were  by  his  side, 
and  assuring  him  of  victory."  See 
also  Ex.  xiv.  24,  25  ;  Judg.  v.  20. 

(3)  Shut  off.     Heb.  shut  against. 

(5)  The  Angel  of  Jehovah  (twice). 
The  "angel  of  Jehovah  "  in  xxxiv.  7 
was  an  angel  of  protection,  but  here 
he  is  an  angel  of  judgment.  In  both 
instances  a  manifestation  of  God's 
personal  presence  and  power  in  re- 
demption, and  to  be  connected  with 
the  fundamental  passages,  Ex.  xxiii. 
20-23  (where  notice  the  expression, 
"  My  name  is  in  him  "),  xxxii.  2,  and 
elsewhere  in  the  Pentateuch,  begin- 
ning with  Gen.  xvi.  7. 

(u)  Malignant  accusers. ,  Heb. 
^edehhamas.  See  Ex. xxiii.  I.  There 
as  here,  and  generally,  hhdmas  ex- 

Eresses  more  than  untruthfulness.   It 
>  false  testimony  with  the  express 
purpose  of  inciting  to  violence  and 
outrage. 

(12)  Bereavement  is  come  on 
my  soul.  Delitzsch  :  "  My  condition 
is  that  of  being  forsaken  by  all  who 
formerly  showed  me  marks  of  affec- 
tion ;  all  these  have,  as  it  were,  died 
off  so  far  as  I  am  concerned.  Not 
only  had  David  been  obliged  to  save 


his  parents  by  causing  them  to  flee 
to  Moab,  but  Michal  also  was  torn 
from  him,  Jonathan  removed,  and  all 
those  at  the  court  of  Saul  who  had 
hitherto  sought  his  favour  and  friend- 
ship were  alienated  from  him.  ...  In 
ver.  13  he  contrasts  himself  with  the 
ungrateful  and  unfeeling  ones." 

(13)  In  their  sickness,  etc.     He 
refers   to  some  special  instance  of 
suffering  in  which  he  had  shown  the 
sincerest   sympathy,   not  elsewhere 
noted.     My  prayer,  to  my  bosom 
let  it  turn.     The  meaning  seems  to 
be  that  his  prayer  was  such  as  he 
would  wish  under  like  circumstances 
offered  for  himself.     It  may  be  illus- 
trated  per  contra   by  the  familiar 
proverb,  "Curses,  like  chickens, come 
home  to  roost." 

(14)  Wandered    about.      Heb. 
hithhallek,  lit.    went  about.     Here, 
of  the  slow  aimless   roving  of  one 
absorbed  in  deep  grief. 

(15)  When  my  weakness  came 
on.     Heb.  at  my  stumbling,  or  fall, 
not  referring  to  moral  delinquency, 
but  to  the  beginning  of  the  present 
calamities. 

( 1 6)  Like  sycophants  vile.  Heb. 
like  the  vilest  of  cake-jesters ;  a  term 
that  seems  to  describe  those  who 
made  sport  at  the  tables  of  the  great 
for  the  sake  of  dainty  fare  ;  it  refers 
to  those  who  turned  against  David 
with  malignant  derision  for  the  sake 
of  favour  with  SauL 

(17)  Heb.  y^hhidi,  my  only  one. 
See  on  xxii.  20.       • 


XXXVI. 


A  SHARP  CONTRAST. 

THIS  Psalm  seems  quite  general  in  its  reference.     It  will  apply  to  the 
condition  of  things  during  almost  any  part  of  David's  reign.     Even 
the  prayer  at  ver.  1 1  may  not  be  connected  with  any  special  emergency. 


PSALM   XXXVI.  95 

There  are  three  principal  parts :  1.  Description  of  a  wicked  man,  representing  a 
class  whose  character  and  life  are  ittterly  perverted  (1-4)-  %•  Description  of  the 
manifested  perfections  of  God  (5-9).  3.  Prayer  for  further  exhibitions  of  these  per- 
fections to  others  as  well  as  to  himself,  with  a  prophetic  glance  at  the  ruin  of  all  com- 
binations of  iniquity  (10-12). 

BY  DAVID,  THE  SERVANT  OF  JEHOVAH. 

1  Sin's  oracle  voice  possesses  the  wicked  man's  heart, 
And  his  eyes  have  before  them  no  God  to  be  feared  ; 

2  For  his  eyes  it  so  cheats  with  its  flattering  words, 
That  they  see  not  his  guilt  as  proven  and  hated. 

3  The  words  of  his  mouth  are  iniquity  and  falsehood ; 
He  has  ceased  to  do  wisely  and  well. 

4  Iniquitous  deeds  he  plans  on  his  bed ; 

In  ways  not  good  he  has  taken  his  stand, 
And  evil  abhors  not. 

5  Thy  kindness,  Jehovah,  extends  to  the  heavens, 
Thy  faithfulness  reaches  the  skies ; 

6  Like  the  mountains  of  God,  Thy  righteousness  towers, 

Thy  judgments  are  vast  like  the  deep ; 
Thou,  Jehovah,  art  guardian  of  man  and  of  beast. 

7  How  precious  is  Thy  lovingkindness,  O  God. 

The  children  of  men  may  hide  in  Thy  shadowing  wings; 

8  On  rich  viands  they  feed  in  Thy  house, 

And  Thy  gift  for  their  thirst  is  Thy  river  of  joys. 

9  For  in  Thee  is  the  fountain  of  life ; 

It  is  ours  to  see  light  in  the  light  that  is  Thine. 

10  Continue  Thy  kindness  to  those  that  revere  Thee, 
Let  Thy  righteousness  bide  with  the  upright  in  heart. 

1 1  The  footstep  of  pride,  let  it  not  overtake  me, 
And  the  hand  of  the  wicked  not  fright  me  away. 

12  Behold  where  they  that  work  evil  are  fallen, 
Are  thrust  down,  and  cannot  arise. 

(i,  2)  There  are  few  passages  in  lie  in  the  first  two  words  of  the  first 

the  Psalter  about  which  interpreters  verse. 

differ  more  widely  than  they  do  about        (i)  Oracle  voice.    Heb.  ne^um, 

the  first  two  verses  of  this  Psalm,  an  oracle,  is  a  noun  in  the  form  of  the 

But  the  key  to  the  whole  seems  to  pass,  participle  of  the  verb  natam, 


96 


THE   PSALMS, 


to  mutter.  The  conception  is  bor- 
rowed from  the  obscure  utterances  of 
heathen  oracles  in  pretended  revela- 
tions from  the  gods.  The  verb  is 
used  but  once,  and  there  followed  by 
this  noun,  of  false  prophets  claim- 
ing Divine  inspiration,  Jer.  xxiii.  31, 
no1  emu  ne'umj  Eng.  Bible,  they  say, 
he  saith.  Elsewhere  nJum  is  regu- 
larly followed  by  the  genitive  of  the 
person  uttering  the  oracle.  This  is 
always  Jehovah,  except  in  Num. 
xxiv.  3,  4,  15,  1 6,  of  Balaam,  2  Sam. 
xxiii.  i,  of  David,  and  Prov.  xxxi.  I, 
of  Agur,  as  speaking  by  inspiration. 
It  occurs  in  the  Prophetical  Books, 
with  Jehovah  as  its  subject,  more 
than  300  times.  In  the  instance  now 
under  consideration  the  genitive  fol- 
lowing is  pesha  (##£!),  sin  as  rebel- 
lion, a  breaking  away  from  God.  It 
is  here  personified  as  assuming  a 
quasi  Divine  authority  and  control 
over  the  man  who  has  yielded  him- 
self to  its  power.  Always,  except 
here  and  in  Jer.  xxiii.  31,  the  words 
of  the  oracle  precede  or  follow.  Ol- 
shausen  would  supply  them  as  part 
of  the  original  text  (so  Cheyne),from 
xiv.  I,  'en ' '  Elohim,  "There  is  no  God." 
But  this  is  unnecessary,  since  the 
purport  of  the  oracle  is  clearly  im- 
plied in  the  following  description. 
It  boldly  denies  God's  effective  jus- 
tice, and  produces  practical  athe- 
ism. The  oracle  is  addressed  to  the 
wicked,  and  is  inward  and  not  out- 
ward. The  Massoretic  text  reads  "  in 
my  heart."  (So  the  A.  V.)  But  this 
gives  no  intelligible  sense.  We  can- 
not conceive  of  an  oracle  of  personi- 
fied sin  addressed  to  the  wicked  in 
the  heart  of  the  Psalmist.  The  Sept., 
Syriac,  and  Arabic  Versions,  with 
Jerome  and  some  MSS.,  for  libbl 
(^S),  my  heart,  substitute  libbo^l), 
his  heart,  and  this  must  be  the  true 
reading,  involving  in  the  unpointed 
text  merely  the  slight  lengthening  of 
the  letter/^.  (So  Hitzig,  Hupfeld, 
Bottcher,  Moll,  Perowne,  and  others.) 
The  personification  of  sin  is  found 
elsewhere  in  the  O.  T.  at  Gen.  iv.  7, 
and  in  the  N.  T.  in  Rom.  v.  vi.  vii. 


and  a  personification  of  falsehood  in 
the  lying  spirit  of  I  Kings  xxii.  21- 
23.  It  is  noteworthy,  however,  that 
in  our  passage  we  have  not  a  personi- 
fication of  rebellion,  as  an  evil  power 
or  principle  dominant  in  the  world, 
but  the  man's  own  active  rebellion 
is  personified  as  objective  to  himself, 
prompting  him  to  further  defiance, 
or  even  denial  of  God.  The  seat  of 
the  oracle  is  in  the  interior  of  his 
heart ;  qereb  (^p)  is  to  be  distin- 
guished from  tok  (Yin),  as  describing 
not  the  centre,  but  all  within  the  cir- 
cumference. The  thought  is  that  the 
man  is  fully  occupied  and  controlled 
by  the  false  revelation  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  every  message  from  God.  It 
is  virtually  demoniac  possession.  — 
No  God  to  be  feared.  Heb.  no 
terror  of  God.  The  principal  word 
here  is  pdhhad,  the  fear  awakened 
by  approaching  judgment.  His  ora- 
cle, which  is  the  echo  of  x.  4,  has 
effectually  disposed  of  all  that. 

(2)  It  so  cheats.  The  first  ques- 
tion relates  to  the  subject  of  the  verb. 
Hehheliq,  prim,  to  make  smooth,  or 
deal  smoothly,  then  to  flatter.  The 
A.  V.  understands  it  reflexively  of 
the  wicked  man,  "he  flattereth  him- 
self." This  is  elaborately,  but  not 
conclusively,  defended  by  Moll. 
Hupfeld,  Hoffman,  and  Perowne 
translate,  "He  (that  is,  God")  deals 
smoothly"  but  each  has  a  different 
opinion  about  the  continuation.  De- 
litzsch  finds  the  subject  in  phha, 
rebellion,  of  the  preceding  verse,  but 
considers  this  a  malignant  principle 
or  power,  hiding  from  him  the  sure 
consequences  of  his  folly,  and  incit- 
ing him  to  the  hatred  of  God  and 
man;  as  if  a  lying  spirit  had  come  to 
him  from  without,  determined  to  ac- 
complish his  ruin.  But  what  is  more 
evident  than  that  this  personification 
is  nothing  external  to  himself,  but  sim- 
ply an  idealization  of  his  own  evil  na- 
ture ?  The  wicked  man,  blinded  and 
hardened  by  every  sinful  act,  and 
persisting  in  rebellion  and  wrong, 
endeavours  with  fatal  success  to  es- 
cape from  the  horrible  consciousness 


PSALM   XXXVII. 


97 


of  wrath  to  come,  by  declaring  it  all 
a  delusion. 

"  The  wicked  man  says  with  an  arrogant  face, 

'He  will  not  avenge;' 
'There  is  no  God'  is  in  all  his  devices."— x.  4. 

Our  English  Bible  gives  us  the  sub- 
stantial, prosaic  fact.  But  in  the  ex- 
hibition of  that  fact  by  the  Hebrew 
poet,  the  second  verse  is  bound 
c'osely  to  the  first,  and  the  personi- 
fication continues. 

In  commenting  upon  the  second 
line  of  this  second  verse  the  leading 
interpreters  are  widely  apart,  and 
have  suggested  various  emendations 
of  the  text.  The  ancient  versions 
differ  very  much  from  each  other, 
and  from  the  Hebrew.  The  R.  V. 
substitutes  another  rendering  for  that 
of  the  A.  V.,  with  an  alternative  in 
the  margin  that  differs  from  either, 
to  which  it  adds  a  rendering  marked 
Heb.,  that  differs  from  all.  These 
differences,  however,  arise  mainly 
from  various  opinions  about  the  pre- 
ceding line,  and  about  the  general 
conception  that  underlies  the  whole. 
If  the  view  embodied  in  our  render- 
ing above  is  correct,  this  last  line 
gives  simply  the  ultimate  point  which 
the  idealized  self-deception  touches; 
namely,  the  future  exposure  of  mon- 
strous wickedness  to  punishment  and 
detestation.  The  spirit  of  rebellion 
that  animates  and  rules  him,  ignores 
and  derides  every  such  thought. 


A  precise  literal  translation  of  the 
second  verse  will  show  that  the  view 
we  adopt  imposes  no  strain  upon  the 
language  ;  "  For  it  makes  smooth  to 
him  in  his  eyes,  as  to  finding  his 
guilt  for  hating."  Here  as  elsewhere 
the  verb  matsa1  (K¥D),  to  find,  de- 
scribes the  judicial  ascertainment 
of  the  man's  guilt,  by  satisfactory 
proof. 

Two  more  verses  in  this  Psalm 
complete  the  description  of  one 
whose  character  and  life  are  thor- 
oughly perverted.  The  following 
strophe  (5-9)  describes  the  mani- 
fested perfections  of  God  tfcat  are 
most  opposite  to  the  preceding  exhi- 
bition of  moral  perversity,  evidently 
drawn  from  a  precious  personal  ex- 
perience. It  is  in  the  form  of  direct 
and  adoring  address  to  Jehovah. 

Prof.  Cheyne  thinks  that  we  have 
here  parts  of  two  Psalms  that  have 
come  together  by  accident  or  mis- 
take. He  claims  that  the  connection 
suggested  between  ver.  4  and  5  "  is 
somewhat  forced."  But  surely  noth- 
ing is  more  natural,  than  that  the  eye 
that  has  become  wearied  by  the  con- 
templation of  evil  in  its  shocking 
details,  should  be  lifted  for  relief  to 
the  transcendent  excellency  of  God. 
And  nothing  is  more  common  in  the 
Psalms,  than  contrast  between  man 
in  his  shame,  and  God  in  His  glory. 


XXXVII. 


HOPE   ON,   AND   WAIT   FOR  THE  END. 

THIS  Psalm  falls  into  line  with  ix.  x.  xxv.  xxxiv.  in  its  alphabetical 
arrangement,  but  with  some  irregularities,  such  as  occur  in  several 
of  the  others,  It  is  didactic  and  sententious,  resembling  somewhat  a  col- 
lection of  proverbs,  yet  flowing  and  elegant  in  style.  Its  repetitions  are 
intended  for  emphasis  upon  important  thought.  Ver.  25  connects  it  with 
David's  advanced  life.  It  differs  from  most  of  his  Psalms  in  having  no 
reference  to  his  personal  self,  other  than  results  of  his  own  observation  in 
ver.  25  and  35,  36.  The  key-note  of  the  whole  composition  is  sounded  in 

7 


98  THE   PSALMS. 

the  first  verse.  Do  not  be  disturbed  by  the  present  prosperity  of  the 
wicked,  and  the  depression  of  the  righteous.  The  future  will  exhibit  their 
actual  standing  in  the  sight  of  God. 

It  is  made  up  of  pleasing  contrasts  between  the  righteous  and  the  wicked, 
with  appropriate  injunctions  interspersed,  but  no  clear  order  of  thought  can 
be  traced. 

BY  DAVID. 

1  Do  not  rage  at  ill-doers, 

Nor  be  jealous  against  the  unjust; 

2  For  like  grass  they  must  soon  be  cut  down, 
Like  herbage  must  wither  away. 

3  Put  your  trust  in  Jehovah,  and  do  that  which  is  good; 
Abide  in  the  land,  and  in  faithfulness  find  thy  delight; 

4  Seek  Thy  pleasure  in  Jehovah, 

The  desire  of  thy  heart  will  He  give  thee. 

5  Commit  to  Jehovah  thy  way; 

Be  trustful  in  Him,  and  He  will  accomplish  — 

6  As  the  light  will  He  make  thy  righteousness  shine, 
Thine  uprightness  clear  as  the  noonday. 

7  Be  at  rest  in  Jehovah,  and  hold  to  Him  firmly, 
And  rage  not  at  him  that  prospers  his  way, 

At  the  man  that  performeth  his  evil  devices. 

8  Desist  ye  from  anger;   be  wrathful  no  more; 
And  rage  not,  thus  only  doing  evil. 

9  For  the  wicked  shall  perish  ; 

Those  that  hope  in  Jehovah  shall  inherit  the  land. 

10  Yet  a  little  while  and  the  wicked  shall  cease, 
When  thou  observest  his  place  he  is  gone. 

1 1  But  the  lowly  in  heart  shall  inherit  the  land, 
And  delight  in  abundance  of  blessing. 

12  The  wicked  man  plots  'gainst  the  righteous, 
He  beholds  them  and  gnashes  his  teeth ; 

13  But  Jehovah  derides  him, 

For  He  sees  that  his  day  is  approaching. 


PSALM  XXXVII.  99 

14  The  wicked  —  the  sword  they  have  drawn, 

And  their  bow  they  have  bent, 

To  bring  down  the  suffering  and  needy, 

To  murder  the  upright  in  life ; 

1 5  But  their  sword  shall  pierce  their  own  heart, 
And  their  bow  shall  be  shivered. 

1 6  Better  a  little  that  a  righteous  man  hath, 
Than  the  multiplied  wealth  of  the  wicked ; 

17  For  the  arm  of  the  wicked  is  shattered, 
But  Jehovah  upholdeth  the  righteous. 

1 8  Jehovah  observeth  the  days  of  the  upright, 

Their  heritage  dureth  forever ; 

19  They  are  not  put  to  shame  when  the  evil  time  comes, 
But  in  days  of  sore  hunger  are  filled. 

20  But  the  wicked  shall  perish ;  like  the  glory  of  the 

meadows  the  foes  of  Jehovah 
Shall  vanish  away,  like  smoke  shall  they  vanish  away. 

21  The  wicked  shall  borrow,  and  cannot  repay, 
But  the  righteous  show  kindness,  and  give ; 

22  For  those  that  God  blesseth  inherit  the  land, 
But  those  that  He  curseth  shall  perish. 

23  A  man's  steps  are  made  firm  by  Jehovah ; 
He  delights  in  his  way : 

24  He  may  fall,  but  he  shall  not  lie  prostrate, 
For  Jehovah  lays  hold  of  his  hand. 

25  I  was  young,  and  have  now  become  old, 

Yet  I  never  have  seen  the  righteous  forsaken, 
Nor  his  seed  begging  bread ; 

26  All  the  day  long  he  shows  kindness  and  lends, 

And  his  offspring  are  blessed. 

27  Turn  away  from  the  evil,  do  that  which  is  good, 

And  abide  evermore. 


100  THE   PSALMS. 

28  For  Jehovah  delighteth  in  justice; 

Those  He  loves  He  forsakes  not, 

He  guards  them  forever; 
But  the  seed  of  the  wicked  shall  perish. 

29  The  righteous  inherit  the  land, 

And  therein  they  have  always  a  home. 

30  The  righteous  man's  mouth  utters  wisdom, 
And  his  tongue  speaketh  justice ; 

31  In  his  heart  is  the  law  of  his  God, 
And  his  feet  shall  not  falter. 

32  The  wicked  lie  in  wait  for  the  righteous, 
And  are  seeking  to  slay  him ; 

33  Jehovah  will  never  yield  him  up  to  their  hand, 
Nor  in  judgment  condemn  him. 

34  Hope  in  Jehovah,  and  keep  thou  His  way; 

He  will  exalt  thee  to  inherit  the  land ; 
When  the  ungodly  are  cut  off,  thou  shalt  see  it. 

35  I  have  seen  a  wicked  man  haughty  and  fierce, 

Like  a  thrifty  tree  in  its  native  soil  he  was  spreading ; 

36  I  passed  by,  and  behold  he  was  gone ; 
When  I  sought  him  he  could  not  be  found. 

37  The  perfect  man  mark,  and  the  upright  behold; 
There  is  hope  for  the  man  that  seeks  peace ; 

38  But  transgressors  shall  all  be  cut  off, 
The  hope  of  the  wicked  has  perished. 

39  From  Jehovah  is  the  safety  of  the  righteous, 
Their  stronghold  in  times  of  distress ; 

40  Jehovah  will  help  and  deliver, 

Will  deliver  from  the  wicked  and  save  them, 
Because  they  take  refuge  in  Him. 

(i)  Do  not  rage.    The  reflexive  Hebrew    verb.  —  Jealous    against. 

form  of  hharah,  to  burn,  of  fierce  Nearly  equivalent  to  the  preceding 

passion.     The  rendering  "fret"  of  verb.  1 1  describes  indignation  rather 

the  A.  V.  is  feeble,  and  far  below  than  envy.     See  at  Ixxiii.  2. 

the  burning  wrath  expressed  by  this  (3)  Do  that  which  is  good.  The 


PSALM  xxxViii. 


IOI 


rendering  "do  good"  of  the  A.  V. 
is  literal  and  exact.  But  it  has  come 
to  be  used  in  a  narrow  sense  of  prac- 
tical benevolence,  or  doing  good  to 
others.  Whereas  the  word  good  here 
implies  all  virtue,  or  obedience  to 
the  will  of  God,  under  the  general 
distinction  between  good  and  evil  in 
the  life  and  conduct  of  man.  So  in 
ver.  27.  —  In  faithfulness  find  thy 
delight.  Heb.  rFeh  (njn)  fm&nafi. 
Lit.  feed  on;  that  is,  to  enjoy,  per- 
haps with  reference  to  their  relations 
by  covenant  with  God;  find  your 
pleasure  in  His  faithfulness,  and  in 
serving  Him  faithfully.  But  it  is 
not  to  be  confined  to  this. 

(35)  Haughty  and  fierce.  Heb. 
'arits  (3?nj?),  usually  translated  vio- 
lent. The  primary  idea  is  fear-inspir- 
ing, a  combination  of  wickedness 
with  pride,  strength,  and  fierceness. 


—  Like  a  thrifty  tree,  etc.  Heb. 
''ezrahh  ra'anan.  The  former  word 
of  a  tree  that  has  never  been  trans- 
planted ;  used  of  persons,  native,  in 
distinction  from  foreign  (Lev.  xvi.  29, 
xviii.  26,  etc.)  and  ra'anan, putting 
forth  leaves,  vigorous  and  flourish- 
ing ;  as  in  xcii.  14. 

(36)  I  passed  by.  Heb.  he 
passed  by,  which  may  be  imper- 
sonal, some  one  (they).  (So  Luther, 
Delitzsch,  etc.)  Here  the  Sept.  and 
Syriac  render  "I  passed  by,"  which 
is  probably  correct.  Comp.  Prov. 
xxiv.  30.  Observe  the  parallelism. 
"I  sought  him." 

(37,  38)  Hope.  Heb.  *ahharith. 
Lit.  futurity.  See  Prov.  xxiii.  18 
(R.  V.  text  and  marg.),  xxxiv.  14, 
20.  The  probable  reference  is  to 
posterity.  Comp.  ver.  28. 


XXXVIII. 


IN  WRATH   REMBMBER  MERCY. 


is  the  third  of  the  Penitential  Psalms.  The  opening  words  are 
-L  almost  identical  with  those  in  the  first  of  the  series,  Ps.  vi.  It 
describes  great  distress  of  body  and  mind.  Worn  out  by  some  terrible 
and  painful  disease,  his  sufferings  are  intensified  by  consciousness  of  guilt. 
When  we  reach  the  second  half  of  the  Psalm  a  third  element  of  misery  is 
added  in  his  desertion  by  friends  and  the  presence  of  deadly  enemies,  who 
use  his  bodily  condition  to  injure  and  ruin  him.  In  all  this  trouble  he  yet 
calls  hopefully  on  God. 

There  are  three  principal  parts,  each  of  which  commences  with  a  fresh 
appeal  to  God. 

1.  He  describes  his  suffering,  aggravated  by  consciousness  of  guilt  (1-8}.  2.  From 
desertion  and  persecution  with  growing  confidence  he  casts  himself  upon  God  (9-14). 
3.  Despairing  of  his  own  power,  and  of  all  other  aid  against  this  fearful  combination, 
he  waits  for  an  answer  (15-22). 

A   PSALM   OF   DAVID.      TO  BRING  TO   REMEMBRANCE. 

1  Correct  me  no  more  in  Thine  anger,  Jehovah  ; 
No  longer  chastise  me  in  wrath  ; 

2  For  Thine  arrows  have  pierced  me, 
Thy  hand  bears  me  down. 


102  T"HE  PSALMS. 

3  Because  Thou  art  wrathful,  my  flesh  has  no  soundness, 
My  bones  have  no  health  on  account  of  my  sin ; 

4  For  my  head  is  overwhelmed  by  my  guilt, 
My  burden  is  heavy,  too  heavy  to  bear. 

5  My  stripes  are  corrupt  and  are  loathsome, 
Because  of  my  folly ; 

6  I  writhe,  I  am  brought  very  low, 
All  the  day  long  I  go  mourning. 

7  For  a  burning,  deep  in,  fills  my  loins, 
And  my  flesh  has  no  soundness ; 

8  Benumbed  and  sore  bruised 

I  cry  out  with  disquieted  heart. 

9  My  longing  is  all  before  Thee,  O  Lord, 
And  from  Thee  my  sighs  are  not  hid. 

10  My  heart  is  fluttering,  my  strength  is  all  gone, 
And  the  light  of  mine  eyes,  even  this  is  not  left  me. 

1 1  My  friends  and  companions  hold  aloof  from  my  woe, 
My  kinsmen,  too,  stand  afar  off; 

12  Those  that  seek  for  my  life  have  laid  snares ; 

Intent  on  my  ruin,  they  speak  deadly  words, 
And  all  the  day  long  whisper  falsehood. 

13  But  I,  like  the  deaf,  shall  not  hear, 

Shall  be  like  the  dumb  men  that  ope  not  their  mouth ; 

14  Yea,  am  now  like  a  man  without  hearing, 
From  whose  mouth  there  come  forth  no  replies. 

15  For  to  Thee,  O  Jehovah,  I  look; 

0  God,  mine  own  God,  Thou  wilt  answer ; 

16  For  I  cry,  "  Let  them  not  be  exultant; 

When  my  foot  giveth  way,  let  them  not  rise  proudly 
against  me." 

17  For,  indeed,  I  am  ready  to  fall, 
And  ever  my  grief  is  before  me ; 

1 8  Yea,  my  guilt  I  confess, 

1  think  of  my  sin  and  am  fearful. 


PSALM   XXXIX.  103 

19  For  strong  are  my  foes  without  cause, 
And  many  by  lies  show  me  hatred ; 

20  They  pay  evil  for  good ; 
They  rise  up  against  me, 

Because  I  still  seek  after  good. 

2 1  Forsake  me  not,  Jehovah ; 
Be  not  far  off,  O  my  God ; 

22  Haste  Thee  on  to  mine  aid, 
O  God,  my  salvation  ! 

(2)  The  same  verb  is  in  both  lines         (19)  For  hhayyim,  living,   hhin- 

(nathath,  to  come  down),  with  change  ndm,  without  cause,  should  be  read, 

of  preposition,  "  Thine  arrows  ...  as  in  the  parallel  passages,  xxxv.  19, 

into,"  "  Thy  hand  .  .  .  upon"  Ixix.  4.     So  most  textual  critics  and 

(12)  Whisper.   Heb+MgdA.    See  interpreters, 
i.  2,  ii.  i  (note),  and  xix.  14. 


XXXIX. 


IN   GREAT  SUFFERING  BUT   SUBMISSIVE. 

THIS  "Psalm  of  David"  is  elegiac,  and  as  Ewald  says,  "the  most 
beautiful  of  all  the  elegies  in  the  Psalter."  It  was  written  under 
great  suffering,  apparently  during  painful  and  wasting  illness,  which  he 
feared  would  terminate  fatally.  This  does  not  appear  in  the  former  half 
of  the  Psalm,  but  it  gives  its  colouring  to  the  whole.  The  exemption  of 
others  around  him  from  such  sufferings,  the  ungodly  in  their  success  and 
pride,  may  have  embittered  him  at  first ;  and  possibly  if  he  had  not  put  a 
curb  on  his  mouth  he  might  have  uttered  complaints  similar  to  those  of  Ps. 
Ixxiii.  But  there  is  nothing  in  the  language  of  the  Psalm  that  implies  that 
this  was  his  principal  grief  and  the  burden  of  the  Psalm  (Delitzsch),  or 
that  connects  his  present  sorrow  with  the  historic  occasion  that  lies  back 
of  Ps.  iv.,  or  with  persecutions  such  as  are  described  in  Ps.  Ixii.  So  much 
as  this,  however,  appears,  that  there  were  near  him  those  who  were  ready 
to  rejoice  in  his  sufferings,  and  would  charge  him  with  some  great  wick- 
edness that  had  justly  subjected  him  to  the  severest  punishment.  See 
xli.  5-8,  xlii.  3.  There  was  scarcely  any  time  in  his  life  when  he  was  not 
liable  to  such  misconception  by  the  envious  and  malignant. 

1.  Strong  repression  of  complaint  against  God  in  the  presence  of  the  wicked  (1,  2). 
2.  Unable  to  main  fain  silence  he  humbly  addresses  God :  (a)  He  prays  that  he  may 
be  impressed  by  the  shortness  of  life  (4,  5).  (b)  In  view  of  the  -vanity  of  life,  he  looks 


104  THE   PSALMS. 

to  God  as  his  only  hope  (6,  7).     (c)  He  accepts  the  stroke  as  the  just  desert  of  his  sins, 
but  prays  that  in  the  Divine  mercy  his  life  may  be  spared  (7-14)  • 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.      FOR  JEDUTHUN.      A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  I  said  in  my  heart,  "My  ways  I  must  heed, 

Lest  I  sin  with  my  tongue ; 
With  the  wicked  before  me, 
I  must  bridle  my  mouth." 

2  I  was  speechless  and  dumb, 

In  silence  held  off  from  relief, 
And  my  sorrow  was  painfully  stirred. 

3  My  heart  became  heated  within  me ; 

While  I  brooded  there  flamed  up  a  fire, 
And  I  spake  with  my  tongue ; 

4  "  Teach  me,  Jehovah,  mine  end, 
And  what  is  my  measure  of  days ; 

Make  me  know  how  fragile  I  am. 

5  Lo,  the  days  Thou  hast  given  me  are  handbreadths, 

And  my  lifetime  is  nothing  before  Thee; 
Yea,  all  men  are  only  a  breath, 

Even  when  standing  most  firmly. 

6  For  only  a  shadow  each  goeth  about, 

For  only  a  breath  is  their  turmoil ; 
One  gathers,  but  knoweth  not  who  shall  enjoy.    [Selah.] 

7  And  now,  Lord,  whither  shall  I  look? 
My  hope  is  in  Thee. 

8  Deliver  me  from  all  my  transgressions, 
Let  me  not  be  the  scorn  of  the  vile. 

9  I  am  dumb,  I  ope  not  my  mouth, 
Because  it  is  Thou  that  hast  done  it. 

10  Oh  spare  me  Thy  stroke ; 

By  the  blow  of  Thy  hand  I  must  perish ; 

11  For  he  whom  thou  scourgest,  correcting  for  sin, 

His  beauty  melts  away,  as  if  eaten  by  moth; 
Yea,  all  men  are  only  a  breath.  [Selah.] 

12  Hear  my  prayer,  O  Jehovah,  give  ear  to  my  cry; 

When  I  weep,  be  not  silent ; 


PSALM   XXXIX. 


105 


For  I  am  with  Thee  a  guest, 

And  a  tenant  at  will,  as  my  fathers  all  were. 
13    Let  Thy  frown  pass  away,  that  my  gloom  may  be  scattered, 
Before  I  go  hence  and  have  vanished. 


(1)  In  my  heart  is  supplied  in 
translating,  in   order  to   distinguish 
this  from  the  speaking  out  in  ver.  3. 
The   simple  ''amar,  to   say,   is   fre- 
quently used  of  thought,  prayer,  or 
purpose,  not   audibly  expressed.  — 
Must  (twice).     The  voluntative  ter- 
mination ah  sometimes  expresses  ob- 
ligation, or  some  internal  constraint. 

(2)  Held  off  from  relief.     Heb. 
mittob.     Lit.  from  good.     Delitzsch 
forces  too  much  into  the  word  when 
he  makes  it  mean  turning  away  from 
the    prosperity  which    he  saw  the 
wicked  enjoying.     It  seems  rather 
to  mean  that  he  separated  himself 
from  enjoyment  in  the  good  things 
of  this  life,  which  under  other  cir- 
cumstances he  would   most   highly 
value,  or,  in  sharper  connection  with 
his  silence,  that  he  denied  himself 
the  good  (the  relief)  that  would  have 
resulted  from  the  free  expression  of 
his  grief.     This  is  often  the  only 
comfort  that  sufferers  have.  —  Pain- 
fully stirred.   Heb. '<U*r  P3£>    Lit. 
to  make  turbid,  of  water;  then,  of 
persons,  to  trouble,  to  afflict   (Gen. 
xxxiv.  20  ;  Josh.  vi.  18,  etc.).     Here, 
of  suffering  as  made  more  intense. 

(4)  Teach  me,  O  Jehovah,  mine 
end.    When  at  last  he  speaks,  while 
his  sufferings  by  repression  have  a 
sharper  sting,  he  has  become  more 
patient  and  submissive.     The  pious 
feeling  that  before  prevented    him 
from  speaking  at   all,  has   had   its 
effect.     There  is  now  no  complaint, 
nor  a  word  that  even  the  wicked 
might   not   hear.  —  Fragile.      Heb. 
hhadel,  ceasing,  or  liable  to  cease;  a 
verbal  adjective. 

(5)  Standing  most  firmly.  Heb. 
nitsab,  when  he  stands  (sound  and 
firm),  Zech.  xi.  16. ;  that  is,  at  his 
very  best. 

(6)  Each.     Heb.  "ish,  a  man,  is 


here  distributive,  the  individual. — 
Their  turmoil.  The  plural  has  refer- 
ence to  men  in  the  mass  in  their 
sharp  competitions  and  jealousies; 
ever  jostling  against  one  another 
rudely.  The  same  word  is  used  of 
tumultuous  nations  in  ii.  i,  from  ha- 
mah,  to  hum. 

(7)  Whither  do  I  look  ?  Heb. 
mah  qiwithl.  The  verb  does  not 
mean  wait  in  the  ordinary  sense  of 
delay,  but  ardent  and  exclusive  de- 
sire and  hope,  in  the  sense  developed 
at  xl.  i ;  and  the  preceding  mah  is 
not  for  what  reason,  but  for  what 
relief,  or  better,  in  what  direction. 
This  is  confirmed  by  the  parallel- 
ism, "My  hope  is  in  Thee."  The 
rendering  of  the  A.  V.  is  ambiguous. 

(10)  Spare  me.  Heb.  remove 
from  me. 

(12)  A  guest ...  a  tenant  at  will. 
Heb.  ger . . .  tdshab.     For  the  former 
see  v.  4,  xv.  i.     The  latter  is  from 
the  verb  yashab,  to  dwell,  and  used 
of  one  who  dwells  in  a  place  by  suf- 
ferance of  the  owner,  and  during  his 
good  pleasure,  but  who  has  no  legal 
right.      The  term  "  tenant  at  will," 
well  known  in  English  and  American 
law,  best  expresses  it.    In  both  words 
he    disclaims   all  inherent   right  of 
occupancy,  casting  himself  on  the 
merciful  kindness  of  God,  as  the  sov- 
ereign proprietor. 

(13)  Lit.  look  away  from  me  that 
I  may^  brighten  up;  implying  gloom 
and  distress  produced  by  the  frown- 
ing  countenance   of    an  inexorable 
judge.    See  margin  of  the  R.  V.,  and 
the  same  verb  in  Job  xiv.  6 :  "  Look 
away  from  him  that  he  may  rest."  — 
And  have  vanished.    Heb.  'enenni, 
I  am  not;  but  it  refers  to  disappear' 
ing  from  the  earth,  as  in  Job  vii. 
8-10,  not  to  absolute  non-existence. 


106  THE   PSALMS. 


XL. 


SALVATION,   SELF-SURRENDER,  AND   SUPPLICATION. 

THIS  Psalm  is  closely  related  to  Ps.  Ixix.  Various  points  of  resem- 
blance indicate  the  same  authorship.  Its  contents  connect  more 
suitably  with  the  life  of  David  in  the  deadly  persecution  that  preceded  his 
second  anointing  as  king  over  Israel,  than  with  that  of  any  other.  This  is 
rendered  more  probable  by  the  prominence  everywhere  assigned  to  David 
as  a  type  of  the  Messiah,  and  the  use  made  of  this  Psalm  in  the  Epistle  to 
the  Heb.  ch.  x.  5-10.  Delitzsch  :  "  The  words  of  David,  the  anointed  one, 
who  is  now  on  his  way  to  the  throne,  are  so  moulded  by  the  Holy  Spirit, 
the  Spirit  of  prophecy,  that  they  sound  at  the  same  time  like  the  words 
of  the  second  David,  passing  through  suffering  to  glory,  whose  offering 
up  is  the  end  of  animal  sacrifices,  and  whose  person  and  work  are  the 
very  kernel  and  star  of  the  roll  of  the  law." 

The  last  five  verses  appear  separately  with  slight  alteration  in  Ps.  Ixx. 
But  neither  this,  nor  the  difference  in  tone  and  contents  between  the  several 
parts  of  the  Psalm,  is  opposed  to  their  being  by  the  same  author  and  origi- 
nally connected.  Transition  from  thanksgiving  to  prayer,  with  correspond- 
ing difference  in  style,  is  very  common. 

1.  Looking  to  the  past :  (a)  Praise  for  a  great  deliverance  (1-4) ,'  (&)  Consecration, 
obedience,  and  pitblic  acknowledgment  (5-12}.  2.  Prayer  for  further  Divine  assist- 
ance against  enemies  (13—17). 

FOR  THE  LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      BY  DAVID.      A  PSALM. 

1  For  Jehovah  I  anxiously  waited ; 

His  ear  He  inclined,  heard  my  cry  for  His  help, 

2  Brought  me  up  from  the  pit  of  destruction, 

From  the  depths  of  the  mire ; 
Set  my  feet  on  a  cliff, 

And  my  footsteps  made  firm ; 

3  And  He  put  a  new  song  in  my  mouth, 

Even  praise  to  our  God ; 
There  are  many  that  see  it,  and  fear, 
And  trust  in  Jehovah. 

4  How  blest  is  the  man,  who,  making  Jehovah  his  trust, 
Neither  turns  to  the  proud, 

Nor  to  lying  apostates. 


PSALM   XL.  107 

5  And  Thou,  Jehovah  my  God, 

How  many  the  wonders  Thou  wroughtest, 
And  Thy  thoughts  for  our  welfare  — 
There  is  none  that  with  Thee  can  compare  — 

I  would  utter  and  speak  them, 
But  they  cannot  be  told. 

6  Slain  beasts  and  oblations  are  not  Thy  desire, 

But  mine  ears  didst  Thou  open  ; 
For  offerings  by  burning  and  offerings  for  sin 
Do  not  meet  Thy  demand : 

7  Then  I  said,  "  Lo,  I  come, 

With  the  roll  of  the  volume  enjoined  me; 

8  O  God,  I  have  pleasure  in  doing  Thy  will, 
In  mine  innermost  heart  is  Thy  law." 

9  I  as  herald  of  righteousness  spake 

To  the  great  congregation ; 
Lo,  my  lips  I  restrained  not, 
O  Jehovah,  Thou  knowest, 

10  Nor  Thy  righteousness  hid  in  my  heart; 

But  Thy  faithfulness  told, 

And  Thy  power  to  save  ; 
I  concealed  not  Thy  kindness  and  truth 
From  the  great  congregation. 

11  And  Thou,  O  Jehovah, 

Restrain  not  from  me  Thy  merciful  deeds ; 
Let  Thy  kindness  and  truth  protect  me  forever ; 

12  For  ills  without  number  beset  me ; 

My  sins  overtake  me, 

I  can  no  longer  see  ; 

They  are  more  than  the  hairs  of  my  head, 
And  my  heart  has  forsaken  me. 

13  Be  pleased  to  deliver  me,  Jehovah; 
Oh  haste  Thee,  Jehovah,  to  help  me. 

14  Let  them  all  come  to  shame  and  confusion 

That  hunt  for  my  life  ; 
Let  those  be  repulsed  in  disgrace 

That  desire  to  destroy  me. 


io8 


THE   PSALMS. 


15  Let  those  be  struck  dumb  by  their  shame 

That  say  to  me,  Aha ! 

1 6  But  all  those  that  seek  Thee, 

In  Thee  let  them  joy  and  be  glad ; 
All  that  love  Thy  salvation, 
Fore'er  let  them  say, 

"  Jehovah  be  greatly  exalted." 

17  And  I,  in  my  suffering  and  need, 

Make  haste  to  me,  O  Lord  ; 
Thou  art  my  help  and  deliverer, 
Delay  not,  O  God. 


(l)  Anxiously  waited.  Heb. 
qawdh  qiwtthi.  A.  V.  waited  pa- 
tiently. In  the  Heb.  the  indicative 
form  is  preceded  by  the  infinitive  of 
the  same  verb  (/  waiting  waited*), 
a  common  method  of  expressing  in- 
tensity. The  verb  qdvdh  is  usually 
elsewhere  translated  to  wait.  But 
it  implies  great  ardour  and  earnest- 
ness in  desire  and  hope,  and  the 
rendering  "  patiently  waited  "  is  too 
passive  to  give  the  right  conception. 
It  is  used  here  of  one  in  imminent 
peril  and  great  misery,  who  is  cry- 
ing loudly  and  most  importunately  to 
God.  It  should  be  intensified  to  ex- 
press the  meaning  of  the  accompany- 
ing infinitive,  but  the  adverb  selected 
should  intensify  the  vehemence  that 
lies  in  the  word.  It  is  often  used 
elsewhere  in  connection  with  yahal, 
to  expect,  or  hope,  as  its  equivalent ; 
as  in  xxxix.  7,  Ixii.  5,  and  especially 
in  cxxx.  5,  a  passage  that  best  de- 
fines the  meaning  of  the  word,  and 
suggests  irrepressible  anxiety,  rather 
than  patience:  "My  soul  waiteth  for 
Jehovah,  and  my  expectation  is  from 
Him."  "  My  soul  waiteth  for  Jeho- 


vah more  than  they  that  watch  for 
the  morning,  more  than  they  that 
watch  for  the  morning." 

(2)  Depths  of  the  mire.  Heb. 
mud  of  the  mire,  —  two  equivalent 
words,  implying  depth  of  mire,  and 
consequently  great  danger. 

(6)  Mine  ears  didst  Thou  open. 
Heb.  ears  didst  Thou  dig  for  me. 
Open  ears  are  the  symbol  of  obe- 
dience, in  contrast  with  the  preced- 
ing mention  of  various  sacrifices 
(comp.  i  Sam.  xv.  22),  and  in  accord- 
ance with  the  following  referense  to 
the  impartation  of  knowledge.  The 
ears  stand  by  synecdoche  for  a  body 
furnished  with  all  the  faculties  called 
into  exercise  by  the  Divine  law. 
The  Septuagint  gives  the  general 
idea  in  its  rendering,  "a  body  hast 
Thou  prepared  me."  The  passage 
thus  rendered  is  quoted  in  Heb.  x. 
5,  as  prophetic  of  Christ. 

(12)  With  the  confession  of  per- 
sonal guilt  in  this  verse,  the  typical 
reference  to  Christ  falls  into  the 
background,  and  does  not  appear 
again  in  this  Psalm. 


PSALM   XLI.  109 


XLI. 


THE  COMPLAINT  AND  PRAYER  OF  ONE  SICK  AND  PERSECUTED. 

TNTERNAL  evidence  supports  the  title,  "A  Psalm  of  David."  He  is 
A  lying  upon  a  bed  of  painful  and  dangerous  sickness,  and  surrounded 
by  malignant  enemies,  who  came  to  him  under  pretence  of  friendship,  but 
upon  leaving  spread  calumnious  reports  about  the  desperate  nature  of  the 
attack,  and  its  connection  with  gross  wickedness.  One  of  these  is  conspic- 
uous as  having  grossly  abused  the  friendship  and  mutual  confidence  which 
had  subsisted  between  them.  In  addition  to  the  general  typical  relation  of 
all  Psalms  descriptive  of  a  suffering  servant  of  God  to  the  suffering  Christ, 
our  Saviour  Himself  speaks  of  his  betrayal  by  Judas  as  a  fulfilment  of 
Scripture,  quoting  David's  mention  in  ver.  9  of  the  treacherous  friend  who 
had  "lifted  his  heel "  against  him. 

In  contrast  with  this,  the  Psalm  opens  with  an  invocation  of  the  richest 
Divine  blessing  upon  some  friend  who  had  been  faithful  and  tender  in  his 
greatest  distress.  This  personal  reference  is  one  of  the  most  touching 
pictures  of  the  Psalm.  In  the  first  three  verses  David  prays  God  that  if 
the  man  who  has  shown  such  loving  sympathy  should  ever  come  under 
similar  pressure  of  calamities,  God  will  abundantly  reward  him  by  such 
seasonable  help  as  is  only  possible  for  almighty  power  and  infinite  love. 

He  then  and  not  before  prays  for  himself ;  humbly  spreading  out  his 
troubles,  he  confesses  himself  a  guilty  sinner  before  God,  but  implores 
Divine  grace  and  help,  with  strong  confidence  that  even  by  his  sins  he 
has  not  forfeited  his  place  in  the  Divine  favour.  He  is  still  substantially 
"  blameless."  His  heart  is  yet  sound  and  true  in  its  allegiance  to  God. 

1.  He  invokes  the  blessing  of  God  upon  one  who  had  treated  him  with  sympathy  and 
kindness  (1-3).  2.  He  confesses  his  sins,  and  complains  of  malignant  slanders,  espe- 
cially of  the  treachery  of  a  trusted  friend  (£-9).  3.  He  prays  that  being  restored  to 
health  by  God's  mercy,  he  may  be  able  to  punish  the  treason  from  which  he  had  suf- 
fered, and  expresses  his  confidence  in  God  (10-12}. 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  How  blest  is  the  man  who  cares  for  the  suffering ; 
Jehovah  protect  him  when  evil  days  come. 

2  Jehovah  preserve  him,  and  let  him  live  on, 

"A  happy  one  "  called  in  the  land, 
And  give  him  not  up  to  the  greed  of  his  foes. 

3  On  the  couch  where  he  pineth,  Jehovah  give  strength ; 
In  his  sickness  his  bed  Thou  wilt  wholly  transform. 


1 10  THE   PSALMS. 

4  I  pray  for  myself,  Jehovah  have  pity ; 

Give  health  to  my  soul,  for  I  sinned  against  Thee. 

5  For  mine  enemies  say  of  me,  wishing  me  evil, 

"  How  soon  shall  he  die,  and  his  name  be  no  more?" 

6  If  one  come  to  see,  he  speaks  falsehood ; 

His  heart  gathers  slander, 
And  going  abroad  he  proclaims  it. 

7  United  against  me,  my  foes  are  all  whispering, 
They  meditate  evil  against  me ; 

8  "A  deed  of  baseness  has  fastened  upon  him, 

From  the  place  where  he  lieth  he  shall  rise  not  again," 

9  Yea,  my  friend  whom  I  trusted,  that  ate  of  my  bread, 
Has  lifted  his  heel  as  my  foe. 

10  But  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  in  pity, 
Raise  me  up  to  requite  them. 

1 1  By  this  shall  I  know  I  have  pleased  Thee, 
That  my  foes  shall  not  triumph  against  me; 

12  And  myself  Thou  upholdest  as  blameless, 
And  hast  placed  in  Thy  presence  forever. 

13  JEHOVAH,  THE  GOD  OF  ISRAEL,  BE  BLESSED 
THROUGH  THE  AGES  EVERLASTING:  AMEN  AND  AMEN. 

(i)  The  suffering.  Heb.  dallim,  The  bed  of  sickness  shall  be  ex- 
prop,  the  feeble,  iromdalal,  to  hang  changed  for  a  bed  of  healthful  rest. 
down,  as  a  bucket  in  a  well,  or  the  The  perfect  tense  of  the  verb  does 
slender  branches  of  trees ;  then,  of  not  refer  to  past  time,  but  what  is 
the  weakness  of  men,  as  shown  by  anticipated  as  sure  is  seen  as  an 
the  limbs  hanging  down  feebly.  It  accomplished  fact, 
is  often  used  of  the  poor,  in  distinc-  (10)  To  requite  them.  "The  re- 
tion  from  the  rich,  as  powerless.  But  quital  meant  is  that  to  which  David 
here  the  primary  sense  is  most  suita-  as  lawful  king  was  bound,  and  which 
ble,  with  reference  to  the  Psalmist's  he  actually  rendered  in  the  strength 
prostration  by  dangerous  illness,  as  of  God,  when  he  overcame  Absa- 
described  in  the  following  verses.  lom's  rebellion  and  asserted  his  au- 

(3)  In    his    sickness    his    bed  thority  in  opposition  to  faithlessness 

Thou  wilt  wholly  transform.  Heb.  and  baseness."  —  Delitzsch. 

his  whole  bed  in  his  sickness  Thou  (13)  The  doxology  in  this  verse 

wilt  turn.    There  is  no  reference  to  does    not    belong    to    the    original 

a  mere  change  on  the  surface  for  the  Psalm,  but  concludes  the  First  Book 

temporary  refreshment  of  the   suf-  of  Psalms.  —  Through  the  ages  ev- 

ferer,  as  appears  in  the  Eng.  Bible,  erlasting.     See  note  on  xc.  2. 
but  a  change  in  his  whole  condition. 


BOOK    II. 


XLII. 

THIS  Psalm  and  the  following  were  no  doubt  originally  one.  At  some 
unknown  time  the  part  constituting  the  present  Psalm  xliii.  was  de- 
tached for  separate  use.  They  are  very  similar  in  tone  and  tenour  to  the 
eighty-fourth  Psalm,  and  have  reference  to  similar  circumstances  of  en- 
forced absence  from  Jerusalem,  and  the  worship  of  God  as  there  estab- 
lished. It  is  not  improbable  that  they  are  by  the  same  author. 

In  its  style  and  allusions  this  duplex  Psalm  seems  best  fitted  to  the  time 
of  David,  and  his  circumstances  during  Absalom's  rebellion.  Though 
attributed  by  the  title  to  the  sons  of  Korah,  it  would  seem  to  be  the  royal 
exile  himself  who  is  here  represented  as  speaking,  by  companions  who 
knew  so  well  what  thoughts  agitated  his  mind  and  heart  during  that  cheer- 
less wandering.  "  These  two  Psalms  were  used  together  in  the  Hebrew 
synagogues  at  the  great  Festival  of  Tabernacles.  Psalm  xliii.  is  appointed 
in  the  Gregorian  use  for  Good  Friday,  and  in  the  present  Latin  Church  for 
Easter  Eve."  —  Wordsworth. 

CRITICAL  NOTE.  In  the  Hebrew  text  the  refrain  in  xlii.  5  differs  from 
that  in  verse  n,  and  xliii.  5,  in  the  absence  of  ''Elohai,  my  God,  at  the 
close.  There  is  the  strongest  probability  that  they  were  originally  alike. 
The  probable  solution  has  been  suggested,  and  is  generally  approved,  that 
in  the  transition  from  the  very  ancient  continuous  writing  to  the  present 
division  into  words  and  verses,  "*  Elohai,  my  God,  the  first  word  of  the  fol- 
lowing verse  in  the  present  text,  should  have  been  included  in  verse  5. 
(So  Sept.,  Syr.  and  Vulg.)  Perowne  suggests  as  probable,  but  his  view  has 
no  support  from  versions,  that  in  the  oldest  text  'Elohai  occurred  at  the 
end  of  verse  5,  as  well  as  at  the  beginning  of  verse  6,  and  that  while  they 
were  not  yet  separated  by  verse  division  or  intervening  space,  one  ^  Elohai 
was  omitted 'in  correction  of  a  supposed  error,  and  that  in  the  subsequent 
verse  division  the  remaining  ''Elohai  was  given  to  verse  6,  which  needed  it 
the  least. 

The  apparent  difference  in  the  possessive  pronoun  is  easily  disposed  of. 
If  'Elohai  had  remained  at  the  end  of  verse  5,  in  accordance  with  either 
of  the  above  suppositions,  the  Massorites  must  have  pointed  the  preceding 


112  THE   PSALMS. 

letter  vav,  which  makes  the  difference  between  "his  countenance"  and 
"  my  countenance,"  as  the  connective  and.  We  should  then  have  had  in 
verse  5,  as  at  the  close  of  the  following  strophes,  "my  countenance  and  my 
God." 

1.  Longing  after  God,  and  tender  reminiscence  (xlii.  1-5).  2.  Description  of  his 
own  misery  (6-11).  3.  Prayer  for  deliverance,  and  joyful  anticipation  (xliii.  1-5). 
Each  strophe  ends  with  a  refrain  remonstrating  with  his  own  soul,  and  inciting  him- 
self to  courage  and  hope. 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   A  MASKIL.   BY  THE  SONS  OF  KORAH. 

1  Like  the  hind  when  she  pants 

For  the  brooks  that  have  water, 
Is  my  soul,  O  God,  in  its  panting  for  Thee. 

2  My  soul  thirsteth  for  God,  for  the  God  that  has  life ; 
Oh  when  may  I  come  and  appear  before  God  ? 

3  My  tears  are  my  food  day  and  night, 
While  all  the  day  long  they  say  to  me, 

"  Where  is  thy  God?" 

4  I  must  call  this  to  mind,  and  within  me  will  pour  out  my 

soul, 

How  I  led  on  the  crowd  with  slow  step  to  God's  house, 
With  clear  singing  and  praise,  a  festival  throng. 

5  Oh,  why  art  thou  downcast,  my  soul, 

And  why  art  thou  moaning  within  me? 
Still  hope  thou  in  God,  for  e'en  yet  I  shall  praise  Him  ; 
He  whose  presence  will  save  is  my  God. 

6  My  soul,  O  my  God,  lies  prostrate  within  me ; 
In  the  land  of  the  Jordan  I  therefore  recall  Thee, 

On  the  Hermons,  and  highland  of  Mizar. 

7  At  Thy  voice  in  the  cataracts,  wave  calls  to  wave ; 
All  Thy  breakers  and  billows  o'erwhelm  me. 

8  Yet  His  own  lovingkindness 

Jehovah  by  day  will  command ; 
In  the  night,  too,  a  song  shall  be  with  me, 
A  prayer  to  the  God  of  my  life : 

9  I  will  say  unto  God,  my  high-lifted  rock, 

"  Oh,  why  put  me  out  of  Thy  mind, 
And  why  go  I  mourning,  oppressed  by  the  foe?  " 


PSALMS  XLIL,  XLIII.  113 

10  As  if  crushing  my  bones  mine  enemies  scoff, 
While  all  the  day  long  they  say  to  me, 

"Where  is  thy  God?" 

1 1  Oh,  why  art  thou  downcast,  my  soul, 

And  why  art  thou  moaning  within  me? 
Still  hope  thou  in  God,  for  e'en  yet  I  shall  praise  Him ; 
He  whose  presence  will  save  is  my  God. 


XLIII. 

1  Give  me  justice,  O  God, 

With  a  merciless  nation  contend  for  my  right ; 
Oh,  save  me  from  crafty  and  violent  men. 

2  For  Thou  art  my  refuge,  O  God ; 

Then  why  dost  Thou  spurn  me, 
And  why  go  I  mourning,  oppressed  by  the  foe? 

3  Thy  light  and  Thy  truth, 

Send  them  forth  that  they  lead  me ; 
To  Thy  holy  hill  let  them  bring  me, 
To  the  place  where  Thou  dwellest. 

4  Then  will  I  come  to  the  altar  of  God, 

Unto  God,  my  most  joyful  of  joys; 
O  God,  my  God,  on  the  harp  will  I  praise  Thee. 

5  Oh,  why  art  thou  downcast,  my  soul, 

And  why  art  thou  moaning  within  me? 
Still  hope  thou  in  God,  for  e'en  yet  I  shall  praise  Him ; 
He  whose  presence  will  save  is  my  God. 

(i)  Like  the  hind.   Heb.  'ayil.   The  The  word  expresses  intense  and  irre- 

noun  is  feminine,  as  shown  by  the  pressible  desire.     Moll :  "  Its  appli- 

feminine  form  of  the  following  verb,  cation  here  to  the  relation  of  the  soul 

This  may  be  partly  to  correspond  of  man  to  God,  and  in  Joel  i.  20,  to 

with  nephesh,  the  soul,  which  is  femi-  the  beasts  of  the  field,  is  explained  by 

nine  in  Hebrew;  but  the  male  deer  the  fact  that  the  living  God  is  often 

with  its  horns,  a  standing  symbol  of  set  forth  as  a  spring  of  living  water 

strength,  would  be  less  suitable  in  a  for  the  refreshment  of  the  thirsty; 

picture  of  helpless  suffering,  appeal-  Ps.   xxxvi.  8,  Ixxxiv.  3;    Jer.  ii.  13, 

ing  to  our  sympathy ;  especially  since  xvii.  13."  —  The  brooks  that  have 

this  noun  *ayil  in  its  primary  mean-  "water.     Heb.  ^appiqe  mdyim.     The 

ing  signifies  strength.  —  Pants  .  .  .  noun  ''appiq  is  used  in  Is.  viii.  7  and 

8 


THE    PSALMS. 


Ezek.  xxxii.  6  of  the  channel  or  bed 
of  a  stream ;  and  in  Ps.  xviii.  15  of 
the  bed  or  lowest  depths  of  the  sea. 
Elsewhere  simply  of  a  brook  or  tor- 
rent; cxxvi.  4;  Job  vi.  15,  etc. 
The  added  mdyim,  water,  suggests 
streams  that  have  water,  in  distinc- 
tion from  those  that  have  failed  in 
the  summer  heat.  Most  of  the 
streams  in  Palestine  are  , torrents, 
flowing  only  in  winter.  The  combi- 
nation \ippiqe  mayim,  occurs  else- 
where only  in  Joel  i.  20,  in  a  descrip- 
tion of  extreme  drought,  when  the 
beasts  are  said  to  "pant  toward 
God,"  because  even  the  channels  of 
water,  that  is,  those  in  which  on 
account  of  their  depth  it  may  usually 
be  found,  are  dried  up. 

(2)  The  soul's  longing  is  now  a 
thirsting,  not  for  water,  but  for  the 
living  God  (Heb.  ''el  hhay},  as  in 
Ixxxiv.  3,  —  not  merely  of  God  as  liv- 
ing, in  contrast  with  dead  idols,  but 
as  elsewhere,  of  God  as  having  in 
Himself  the  absolute,  potential  life 
from  which  all  life  proceeds.  Com- 
pare xxxvi.  9,  "the  fountain  of  life." 
So  Job  xix.  25,  "  my  Redeemer  liv- 
eth"  (Heb.  as  here,  hhay}  as  the 
ground  of  the  hope  of  life  in  the 
future  then  confidently  expressed. 
This  is  the  "life  in  Himself,"  the 
life-producing  Life,  possessed  by  the 
Father  and  given  to  the  Son,  John 
v.  26,  to  which  our  Saviour  in  ver. 
25  directly  attributed  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  dead.  —  Oh.  when  may 
I  come  and  appear  before  God. 
The  Psalmist  hopes  for  some  new  in- 
fusion of  this  life  from  God  through 
the  ordinances  of  the  sanctuary.  No- 
tice the  concurrence  of  the  two  Di- 
vine names,  * Elohim  and  ''EL  The 
former  exhibits  God  as  one  to  be 
worshipped,  the  latter  as  the  Strong. 
Where  the  two  come  together,  and 
often  elsewhere  there  is  express  ref- 
erence to  Divine  power.  See  xix. 
i,  xxii.  I,  and  especially  1.  i,  where 
they  both  occur  in  combination  with 
Jehovah,  founded  on  Josh.  xxii.  22, 
where  they  are  twice  repeated.  One 
might  almost  weave  the  identical 


Hebrew  words  '/T/,  ''Elohim,  Jehovah. 
into  our  English  rendering,  as  R.  M. 
McCheyne  has  given  us  Jehovah 
Tsidkenu,  for  "the  LORD  our  Right- 
eousness," in  a  delightful  hymn. 

(3)  My  tears  are  my  food  ;  that 
is,  they  take  the  place  of  my  food. 
(See  Job  iii.  24.)  In  his  daily  life  he 
is  weeping  when  he  should  be  eat- 
ing, as  in  Ixxx.  5,  cii.  9;  i  Kings  xxii. 
27 ;  Is.  xxx.  20.  In  connection  with 
this  verse  and  vv.  9  and  10,  we  are 
not  to  suppose  that  malignant  ene- 
mies had  followed  him  into  this  far 
off  wilderness.  On  the  contrary  they 
must  have  remained  at  home  to  en- 
joy the  fruits  of  their  treason.  The 
poet  here  idealizes,  as  if  his  subject 
were  possessed  of  a  double  person- 
ality, one  in  Jerusalem  enduring  ig- 
nominy and  insult,  compared  to  the 
crushing  of  his  bones,  and  the  other 
a  fugitive  in  the  far  North.  The 
idealization  is  founded  upon  the  fact 
that  he  had  vividly  before  his  mind 
the  scoffs,  slanders,  and  impreca- 
tions from  which  he  well  knew  that 
his  enemies  did  not  desist  even  dur- 
ing his  absence,  and  they  produced 
the  keenest  suffering. 

(4)  I  must  call  this  to  mind. 
Heb.  ''eleh,  these,  referring  to  what 
follows,  his  former  condition  of  privi- 
lege in  the  sanctuary.  The  verbs  in 
this  line  are  in  the  i 'olunlative  form. 
He  yields  himself  to  the  sad,  yet  com- 
forting recollection.  The  imperfect 
tenses  that  follow  describe  what  was 
babitual  in  the  past,  now  called  up 
vividly  into  the  present. —  Led  on 
the  crcwd  with  slew  step.  The 
principal  verb  "'eddaddcm,  from  dd- 
dah,  to  go  softly  or  slowly,  either  of 
an  individual  alone  (see  Is.  xxxviii. 
15),  or  as  here,  of  a  solemn  proces- 
sion with  reverent  step.  The  objec- 
tive suffix  em  shows  that  the  verb  is 
transitive,  and  that  the  poet  was  di- 
rector, not  necessarily  that  he  was 
leader  of  the  choir  (Ges.,  Del.,  etc.), 
but  that  as  king,  after  singers  and 
priests,  he  occupied  the  principal 
place  in  the  procession.  The  preced- 
ing verb  Vw*r,  I  pass  on,  blends  by 


PSALMS   XLIL,   XLIII. 


Hendiadys  with  that  which  follows, 
imparting  the  onward  motion  to  the 
slow  leading.  —  Crowd.  Heb.  sak, 
from  sdkak,  to  interweave;  this 
noun  form  occurs  only  here  ;  prop. 
a  thicket  of  trees,  then  poet,  a  dense 
crowd  of  men.  —  A  festival  throng. 
Lit.  a  feast-keeping  throng,  the  part. 
hhogeg,  prop,  moving  in  a  circle ; 
then,  celebrating  a  festival,  as  it 
comes  round  in  its  turn  every  year. 
Eng.  Bible,  keeping  holyday. 

(5)  He  whose  presence  will 
save  is  my  God.  Adopting,  as  seen 
in  the  critical  note  above,  a  change 
in  the  Hebrew  text  that  unifies  the 
refrain  here  with  ver.  1 1  and  xliii.  5, 
the  more  literal  rendering  would  be, 
"  My  salvation  by  His  presence  and 
my  God." 

According  to  Hebrew  usage,  the 
noun  "salvation"  and  its  limiting 
genitive,  " of  countenance"  form  a 
compound.  In  such  cases,  if  a  de- 
fining article  or  possessive  pronoun 
is  required,  it  must  always  be  at- 
tached to  the  second  noun,  yet  be- 
longs to  the  first  as  limited  by  the  sec- 
ond. In  several  hundred  instances 
of  the  use  of  this  Hebrew  word  as 
noun  or  verb,  with  mention  of  its 
object,  never  elsewhere  is  the  idea 
presented  of  saving  a  man's  counte- 
nance. Moreover,  no  instance  can 
be  given  of  the  countenance  being 
used  for  the  man  himself  in  his  per- 
sonality, except  the  very  unsatisfac- 
tory one  cited  by  Dr.  Moll,  Is.  iii. 
15,  "  Ye  grind  the  faces  of  the  poor." 

But  salvation,  help,  or  victory,  as 
the  word  yeshuahh  is  variously  trans- 
lated, is  often  ascribed  to  God's  face 
or  countenance.  In  fact,  by  com- 
mon consent,  if  the  received  text  of 
xliii.  5  be  the  true  reading,  "  the  help 
of  His  countenance,"  or  "the  salva- 
tion of  His  presence,"  is  the  correct 
translation,  and  the  "  countenance  " 
or  "  presence  "  that  saves,  is  God's. 
Every  one  recognizes  the  genitive 
here  as  a  genitive  of  origin  and  not 
of  object.  But  in  ver.  1 1  and  in  xliii. 
5  it  has  been  assumed  without  ques- 
tion that  in  the  construction  "salva- 


tion," "help,"  or  "health"  of  "face," 
"countenance,"  or  "presence,"  we 
have  a  genitive  of  object  and  not  of 
origin,  —  that  it  is  not  God's  coun- 
tenance that  saves,  as  before,  but 
man's  countenance  that  is  saved. 

Now  these  refrains,  admitting  an 
original  difference  in  the  text,  can 
hardly  be  so  wide  apart  in  meaning 
as  this.  If  in  the  first  of  them  we 
may  or  must  read,  "  the  health  (Am. 
Rev.  help)  of  His  countenance,"  or 
more  literally  "  His  help  of  counte- 
nance ; "  then  lower  down  in  the 
same  Psalm  we  should,  in  consis- 
tency, read  "  He  is  my  help-of-coun- 
tenance  and  my  God,"  or  "  He  whose 
presence  saves  me,  and  my  God." 

It  was  probably  in  their  feeling 
that  the  expression  help,  or  salvation 
of  ?ny  countenance,  for  my  personal 
salvation,  was  hard  and  inadmissi- 
ble, that  the  early  English  translators 
have  given  yeshuahh  the  rendering 
health,  here  alone  in  more  than  one 
hundred  instances  of  the  use  of  this 
very  familiar  word.  The  explana- 
tion they  would  have  given  is  proba- 
bly that  it  refers  to  deliverance  from 
great  trouble  under  the  figure  of  the 
restoration  of  a  sick  man  to  health, 
as  indicated  by  his  countenance. 
This  surely  is  not  the  meaning  of  the 
Hebrew.  The  American  Revisers 
prefer  "the  help  of  my  countenance." 
This  is  neither  English  nor  Hebrew. 
It  must  be  said,  however,  that  their 
very  conservative  rules  did  not  allow 
them  to  change  materially  a  passage 
like  this.  They  could  do  no  more 
than  to  suggest  the  insertion  in  the 
text  of  the  marginal  "  help,"  which 
is  certainly  a  better  translation  of 
the  word. 

We  only  now  give  a  few  instances 
in  which  salvation  or  help  for  man  is 
represented  as  originating  in  God's 
countenance  or  presence,  sometimes 
beautifully  and  grandly  of  the  light 
of  His  presence  as  dissipating  the 
darkness  of  misery  and  ruin.  In 
the  Psalms  consider  xxxi.  16,  xliv.  3, 
Ixvii.  i,  2,  Ixxx.  3,  7,  19.  These 
and  their  like,  together  with  many 


THE   PSALMS. 


expressions  of  wretchedness  and  suf- 
fering experienced  or  apprehended 
through  the  hiding  of  God's  counte- 
nance, have  their  origin  in  the  loci 
classici  on  this  subject ;  Exod.  xxxiii. 
14,  15,  and  Num.  vi.  26. 

(6)  On  the  Hermons  and  high- 
land of  Mizar.  The  plural  "  Her- 
mons" does  not  refer  to  the  peaks 
so  called,  but  is  to  be  understood  in 
a  broad  sense  as  covering  the  whole 
northeastern  corner  of  Palestine  on 
the  slopes  of  Hermon.  With  the 
country  over  the  Jordan  it  includes 
the  whole  ridge  of  Anti-Libanus  run- 
ning southeasterly  (Delitzsch). 

Mount  Mizar  cannot  be  identified. 
The  name  means  littleness.  There 
is  no  apparent  allusion  to  this  here. 
But  the  mountain  probably  was  small, 
and  therefore  very  little  known  then 
or  since.  Perhaps  the  poet  himself 
gave  it  the  name,  to  mark  it  in  his 
own  recollection,  and  in  the  story  of 
his  wanderings.  Have  we  any  hint 
of  its  importance  in  the  story  as 
here  told  ?  It  would  seem  to  lie  in 
the  next  verse.  Crossing  the  Jor- 
dan at  the  "fords  of  the  wilderness" 
(2  Sam.  xvii.  16,  22),  the  fugitives  pass 
through  the  country  east  of  the  river 
till  they  strike  the  northern  mountain 
region  in  sight  of  the  snowy  peaks  of 
Hermon,  and  reach  at  last  a  moun- 
tain insignificant  in  itself,  but  ever 
memorable  from  its  position,  and  all 
it  suggested  to  the  mind  of  their 
leader.  From  the  height  overlook- 
ing some  unknown  body  of  water, 
they  see  a  raging  storm.  Added  to 
the  fierce  sweep  of  the  winds,  and  the 
tumult  of  the  waves,  they  hear  the 
roar  of  the  mountain  torrent  pour- 
ing down  the  sharp  declivities.  The 
sound  of  the  cataracts,  which  to  the 
poet,  like  the  roll  of  the  thunder  in 
Ps.  xxix.,  is  the  voice  of  Jehovah,  is 
giving  the  signal  for  the  wildest  com- 
motion, and  exciting  the  waves  to 
greater  fury.  One  great  swelling 
mass  of  water  calls  to  another,  and 
now,  what  he  sees  becomes  a  para- 


ble of  his  tempest-tossed  life.  His 
own  soul,  in  helplessness  and  ter- 
ror, seems  to  be  struggling  amid 
the  billows,  and  unless  God  please 
to  deliver,  will  be  hopelessly  over- 
whelmed. —  At  Thy  voice  in  the 
cataracts.  Here  the  Septuagint 
gives  kataraktoi.  The  Hebrew  word 
seems  to  mean  a  pipe,  or  orifice.  It 
probably  refers  to  the  narrow  chan- 
nel in  the  rock  out  of  which  the  wa- 
ter was  leaping  into  the  gulf  below. 
Coverdale  has,  "At  the  noyse  of  thy 
whystles,"  thinking  of  a  wind  pipe, 
through  which  God  was  giving  the 
signal  as  a  trumpet.  Here,  as  in  the 
refrain  above  (see  on  ver.  5),  the  pos- 
sessive pronoun  belongs  to  the  first 
of  the  words  in  a  genitive  construc- 
tion, and  we  have  "  At  thy  cataract 
voice."  It  is  impossible  to  identify 
the  body  of  water  upon  which  the 
storm  was  seen.  The  most  probable 
of  the  conjectures  connects  it  with 
the  Lake  of  Muzerib,  "  the  outflow 
from  which  into  the  Meddan  forms 
a  magnificent  waterfall  of  sixty  to 
eighty  feet,  the  only  one  in  Syria" 
(DeWetstein's  Appendix  to  De- 
litzsch on  Job). 

(7)  We  have  here,  literally,  "break- 
ers and  rollers, "the  descriptive  words 
that  are  yet  often  applied  to  the  great 
surges  of  the  sea. 

(9)  My  high-lifted  rock.  Heb. 
sela  (#?C?),  a  cliff,  as  a  place  on  which 
one  is  lifted  out  of  danger.  See  note 
at  xviii.  2. 

(xliii.  3)  Thy  light  and  Thy  truth. 
The  light  of  God's  saving  grace  shin- 
ing upon  the  night  of  misery,  and  His 
truth  in  the  fulfilment  of  His  prom- 
ises, are  here  personified  as  Divine 
messengers,  who  would  surely  lead 
him  back  to  all  he  had  lost. 

(4)  My  most  joyful  of  joys.  Lit. 
my  joy  of  exultation.  The  notion  of 
joy  is  put  in  the  superlative  by  unit- 
ing two  nearly  synonymous  words. 
This  is  often  done  in  Hebrew  by 
repeating  the  same  word. 


PSALM   XLIV.  117 


XLIV. 

A  LITANY    OF   ISRAEL,    HARD    PRESSED    BY    THE    ENEMY  AND 
YET  FAITHFUL  TO   ITS   GOD. 

THE  counterpart  of  this  Psalm  is  Ps.  Ixxxv.,  both  being  plaintive  and 
supplicatory  Psalms  of  a  national  character,  by  the  sons  of  Korah. 
Of  the  same  general  tenor  are  Ix.  Ixxx.  and  Ixxxix.,  all  contrasting  the 
present  with  former  times,  and  lamenting  the  failure  of  the  promises  of 
God  to  His  chosen  people.  This  differs  from  the  others  in  the  expression 
of  conscious  innocence.  As  to  its  historical  background,  there  are  some 
coincidences  with  the  time  of  the  Maccabees,  but  by  other  important  con- 
siderations this  reference  is  precluded  (Del.).  The  solemn  assertion  of 
Israel's  covenant  faithfulness  (ver.  17,  18)  is  conclusive  against  all  sup- 
positions except  that  which  assigns  it  with  the  Ps.  Ix.  to  the  time  of  David 
and  the  Syro-Ammonite  war,  the  result  of  which  is  given  in  2  Sam.  viii. 
1-14.  Before  the  first  onset,  when  mighty  hosts  were  advancing  against 
them,  there  were  probably  great  anxiety  and  dejection.  The  burial  of  the 
many  in  Israel  that  were  slain,  and  Joab's  fearful  revenge  are  mentioned 
incidentally  in  i  Kings  xi.  15, 16.  (So  Hengst,  Keil,  Del.,  and  Moll.)  Pe- 
rowne  objects  that  "the  language  of  the  Psalm  is  too  large  to  be  applied 
to  a  sudden  attack.  It  describes  a  more  serious  and  lasting  calamity." 
But  it  is  just  here  that  we  must  expect  some  difference  between  poetic 
representation  and  historic  fact.  It  is  quite  characteristic  of  the  Psalms 
to  idealize  the  circumstances  to  which  they  relate,  seeing  deeper  and  darker 
evils  and  sufferings  in  natural  sequence  to  those  existing,  which  are  inevi- 
table unless  God  graciously  interposes.  The  imagination  of  the  poet 
transports  him  into  the  midst  of  calamities  fearfully  anticipated,  which  he 
describes  as  if  present  and  actual. 

1.  God's  power  and  kindness  as  shown  to  their  fathers  (1-3).  2.  Confidence  that 
He  will  now  give  them  victory  (4--8).  3.  The  contrast  of  this  hope  to  their  recent  over- 
whelming defeat  (9-12).  4-  And  their  consequent  disgrace  among  the  nations  (13-16). 
5.  Yet  they  have  not  been  unfaithful  to  their  covenant  (17-19).  6.  But  can  appeal  to 
the  omniscient  God  that  they  are  suffering  on  account  of  their  fidelity  to  Him  (20-22). 
7.  And  entreat  His  help  in  their  great  distress  (23-26}. 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   BY  THE  SONS  OF  KORAH.   A  MASKIL. 

I    O  God,  we  have  heard  with  our  ears, 

Our  fathers  have  told  us, 
What  work  Thou  didst  in  their  days, 
In  the  days  of  old  time ;    , 


Il8  THE   PSALMS. 

2  That  Thine  was  the  hand  that  uprooted  the  heathen, 

And  themselves  planted  in ; 
That  broke  up  the  nations, 

And  themselves  spread  abroad. 

3  For  not  by  the  sword  did  the  land  become  theirs, 

And  their  arm  did  not  save  them ; 
But  Thine  the  right  hand,  and  the  arm  also  Thine, 
And  Thy  presence  gave  light, 

For  Thy  favour  was  with  them. 

4  Do  Thou,  the  same  God,  who  Thyself  art  my  King1, 
Command  victories  for  Jacob. 

5  Through  Thee  do  we  push  down  our  foes, 
Through  Thy  Name  trample  down  our  assailants. 

6  For  not  in  my  bow  do  I  trust, 

And  my  sword  cannot  give  me  the  victory ; 

7  But  Thou  from  oppressors  didst  save  us, 
And  by  Thee  were  our  foes  put  to  shame. 

8  All  the  day  long  do  we  triumph  in  God, 

>'     And  Thy  Name  will  we  praise  evermore.  [Selah.] 

9  Yet  Thou  puttest  us  from  Thee  disgraced, 
And  goest  not  forth  with  our  hosts ; 

10  Thou  hast  made  us  turn  back  from  the  foe; 
They  that  hate  us  take  spoil  at  their  pleasure ; 

1 1  Like  sheep  hast  Thou  given  us  for  food, 
In  the  lands  of  the  heathen  dispersed  us ; 

12  Thou  sellest  Thy  people  for  nought, 

And  hast  not  gained  wealth  by  their  price. 

13  Thou  hast  made  us  a  scorn  to  our  neighbours, 
A  scoff  and  a  jeer  to  those  round  about  us. 

14  Thou  hast  made  us  a  by-word  to  heathen ; 
The  nations  toss  the  head  in  contempt. 

15  All  the  day  long  my  disgrace  is  before  me, 
And  the  shame  of  my  face  overwhelms  me, 

16  At  the  voice  of  blaspheming  revilers, 
At  the  sight  of  the  hating  and  vengeful. 


PSALM   XLIV.  119 

17  Though  all  this  came  upon  us,  we  do  not  forget  Thee, 
Nor  yet  are  we  false  to  Thy  covenant. 

1 8  Our  heart  draws  not  back, 

Our  steps  have  not  swerved  from  Thy  path, 

19  That  so  Thou  shouldest  crush  us, 

In  the  place  of  the  jackal, 
With  the  shadow  of  death  shouldst  enshroud  us. 

20  If  forgetting  the  Name  of  our  God, 

We  spread  forth  our  hands  to  the  God  of  the  alien, 

21  Would  not  God  search  this  out? 

For  He  knows  the  deep  thoughts  of  the  heart. 

22  But  for  Thee  are  we  slain  all  the  day  long, 
We  are  reckoned  as  sheep  for  the  slaughter. 

23  Arouse  Thee;  why  sleepest  Thou,  Lord? 
Awake  ;  do  not  spurn  us  forever. 

24  Oh,  why  hast  Thou  hidden  Thy  face, 
Forgetting  our  suffering  and  pressure? 

25  For  our  soul  is  bowed  down  to  the  dust, 
And  our  body  cleaves  close  to  the  earth. 

26  Oh,  arise  for  our  aid ; 

For  the  sake  of  Thy  great  lovingkindness  redeem  us. 

(3)  Thine  the  right  hand,  etc.;         (14)  The  nations  toss  the  head 

strengthening  the  preceding  subject  in  contempt.    Heb.  lit.  a  headshak- 

"Thou;"    God's   right   hand   being  ing  among  the  nations.  Seexxii.  7. 
the  symbol  of  His  power  in  its  high-         (19)  In  the  place  of  the  jackal. 

est  activity.  The  most  lonely  and  terrible  wilder- 

(4)  Do  Thou,  the  same  God,  etc.  ness.     The  cry  of  the  jackal,  reserri- 
Heb.  Thou,  He,  my  King,  O  God  ;  bling  the  wailing  of  human  beings  is 
"Thou"  is  emphatic, —  Thyself  and  suggestive  of  the  greatest  distress, 
no   other.     The  pronoun  "  He  "  is         (22)  But  for  Thee  are  we  slain, 
not  an  independent  predicate,  as  in  etc.     St.  Paul  quotes  these  words  in 
cii.  27,  but  it  strengthens  the  sub-  Romans  viii.  36,  as  descriptive  of 
ject,  and  contains  an  emphatic  refer-  the  sufferings  of  the  N.Test.  Church, 
ence  to  the  past  as  just  related.     It         (23)  Why  sleepest  Thou  ?   God 
identifies  the  God  who  now  rules,  is  said  to  sleep  when  He  does  not 
with  Himself  in  former  deliverances,  interfere  in  whatever  is  taking  place 
See  Neh.  ix.  6,  7,  for  precisely  simi-  in  the  outward  world  here  below,  for 
lar  use   of  the   pronoun.  —  Jacob,  the  very  nature  of  sleep  is  a  turning 
The  personal  name  of  the  patriarch  in  into  one's  self  from  all  relation- 
identifies  his  descendants  now  living  ship  to  the  outer  world,  and  a  rest- 
with  those  whom  God  had  formerly  ing  of  the  powers  which  act  out- 
befriended  so  signally.  wardly  (Delitzsch). 


120  THE   PSALMS. 


XLV. 

THE  MARRIAGE    SONG  OF  AN  INCOMPARABLE  KING. 

IT  is  doubtful  to  what  king  this  Psalm  refers.  He  was  evidently  of  the 
house  of  David,  and  ab9ut  to  be  married  to  a  foreign  princess.  It  is 
assumed  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews  (i.  8)  that  it  describes  the  Messiah, 
and  the  Messianic  interpretation  is  very  ancient.  But  back  of  this  there 
was  undoubtedly  the  espousal  of  a  king  of  Israel  cotemporary  with  the 
poet.  As  Delitzsch  remarks,  except  on  the  presupposition  of  its  prophetico- 
allegorical  sense,  we  cannot  understand  its  admission  into  the  sacred  canon. 
This  meaning  and  interpretation  are  founded  on  the  typical  character  of 
the  whole  royal  line  in  Israel  on  the  one  hand,  and  on  the  other,  the  fre- 
quent representation  of  the  relation  of  the  chosen  people,  in  its  organic 
unity,  to  Jehovah  as  a  marriage.  "To  the  kingship  of  David  according  to 
2  Sam.  vii.  8-17,  there  were  attached  great  promises  applying  to  an  unlim- 
ited future,  and,  therefore,  also  all  the  anticipations  of  Israel's  future  bless- 
edness and  glory."  —  Delitzsch. 

It  is  not  strange  that  an  inspired  poet  should  seize  on  tfte  occasion  of 
the  marriage  of  an  illustrious  scion  of  this  line  to  compose  a  hymn  for  all 
time,  depicting  on  the  historical  basis  of  the  event  then  celebrated,  the 
glories  of  the  Messiah  whose  dominion  should  be  everlasting,  and  the 
regenerate  Israel  of  the  future  brought  into  permanent  relations  of  love 
and  blessedness  with  her  anointed  king. 

The  allegory,  however,  must  not  be  pressed  too  closely  in  its  poetic 
details.  Many  of  them  belong  to  the  drapery  of  the  poem  in  its  connection 
with  the  customs  of  the  time,  and  have  no  prophetic  significance. 

It  cannot  be  certainly  determined  whether  we  are  to  find  the  historic 
origin  of  this  song  in  the  marriage  of  Jehoram,  the  son  of  Jehoshaphat,  to 
Athaliah,  a  princess  of  the  royal  house  of  Tyre  (Del.),  or  of  Solomon  to  a 
daughter  of  Hiram  king  of  Tyre  (Hupf.),  or  to  a  daughter  of  the  king  of 
Egypt,  as  most  interpreters. 

1.  The  praise  of  the  royal  bridegroom,  his  beauty,  his  eloquence,  his  might  and 
prowess  in  war,  his  divine  majesty,  and  the  righteousness  of  his  sway  (1-9).  2.  The 
description  of  the  royal  bride,  her  gold-inwoven  garments,  the  virgins  in  her  train,  the 
music  and  songs  of  the  bridal  procession  (10-15).  8.  Anticipations  for  the  children 
by  this  marriage  who  shall  perpetuate  the  dynasty  of  the  monarch,  so  that  his  name 
shall  be  famous  forever  (16, 17). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   SET  TO  "  SHOSHANNIM."   BY  THE 
SONS  OF  KORAH.   A  MASKIL.   A  SONG. 

I    My  heart  overflows  with  good  words, 
For  I,  and  I  only,  can  say, 

"  My  song  is  in  praise  of  the  king;  " 
Be  my  tongue  the  pen  of  swift  writers. 


PSALM   XLV.  121 

2  Thou  art  fairer  by  far  than  the  children  of  men, 

And  grace  is  shed  forth  on  thy  lips ; 
God  surely  had  blessed  thee  forever. 

3  With  thy  sword  on  the  thigh,  mighty  champion, 
Gird  about  thee  thy  splendour  and  glory ; 

4  In  thy  splendour  press  forward,  ride  on, 

In  the  cause  of  truth,  and  the  right  of  the  lowly, 
And  thy  right  hand  shall  guide  thee  to  terrible  deeds. 

5  Thine  arrows  are  sharp, 

And  under  thee  nations  shall  fall, 
The  king's  enemies  pierced  to  the  heart. 

6  Thy  throne  is  forever  and  alway,  O  God, 
And  a  sceptre  of  right  is  thy  sceptre  of  rule. 

7  Since  justice  thou  lovest  and  hatest  oppression, 
With  oil  of  rejoicing  above  thy  companions, 

God,  thine  own  God,  doth  anoint  thee. 

8  Thy  robes  are  all  myrrh, 

And  the  wood  of  the  fragrant  agalloch, 
And  from  ivory  palaces  harps  give  thee  joy; 

9  Among  those  in  thy  favour 

Are  the  daughters  of  kings, 
And  in  gold,  brought  from  Ophir, 

The  queen  has  her  place  on  thy  right. 

10  Hearken,  O  daughter,  and  see, 

Let  thine  ear  be  attent ; 
Thy  people  forget  and  the  house  qf  thy  father, 

11  That  the  king  may  have  joy  in  thy  beauty; 
For  he  is  thy  lord,  and  worship  thou  him ; 

12  And  the  daughter  of  Tyre  shall  bring  gifts, 
The  rich  of  the  people  shall  sue  for  thy  favour. 

13  All  glory  is  the  royal  maiden  abiding  within, 
Her  raiment  inwoven  with  gold ; 

14  And  on  fabrics  embroidered  is  led  to  the  king, 
With  her  virgin  companions  that  follow  — 

To  thee  are  they  brought ; 


122 


THE   PSALMS. 


15  They  are  led  with  rejoicing  and  gladness, 
To  the  king  in  his  palace  they  come. 

1 6  In  place  of  thy  fathers  thy  sons  shall  appear; 

Thou  wik  set  them  as  princes  to  rule  the  whole  earth. 

17  I  will  publish  thy  nams  to  all  generations, 

That  forever  anoValway  the  people  may  praise  thee. 


(1)  Overflows.      Heb.   rahhash, 
to  boil  over,  as  boiling  water,  or  a 
fountain.     The   expression   denotes 
intense   excitement   and    exuberant 
fulness.  —  I,  and  I  only,  can  say. 
Heb.  'omar  ''am.     The  emphatic  pro- 
noun becomes  doubly  emphatic  by 
being  put  after  the  verb,  and  under 
a  heavy  accent,  and  the  emphasis  is 
exclusive.     It  is  his  special  and  pe- 
culiar honour  and  privilege.     He  is 
the  poet  laureate,  and  the  thought 
stirs  up  his  whole  nature  to  do  its 
best  work.  —  My  song  is  in  praise 
of  the  king.     Lit.  my  works  are  for, 
that  is,  the  constritctions  or  creations 
of  his  mind  and  heart,  tongue  and 
pen,  as  seen  in  this  poem.  —  Be  my 
tongue  the  pen,  etc. ;  as  if  he  were 
improvising,  or  as  he  composes  were 
chanting  to  a  suitable  melody,  and  a 
rapid  writer  were  taking  down  the 
words  from  his  lips. 

(2)  Thou  art  fairer  by  far.  Heb. 
yoph-ya-phl-tha,  a  form  of  the  verb 
yaphah,  to  be  beautiful,  intensified 
by  reduplication  of  the  consonants. 
This  produces   an   alliteration  that 
is  echoed  in  our  rendering. — God 
surely  had  blessed  thee  forever. 
Heb.  'al-ken  Elohim.   The  usual  ren- 
dering "therefore"   would   here  be 
misleading,    The  poet  does  not  state 
a  result;  as  if  God  had  blessed  him 
on  account  of  his  beauty  and  gracious 
utterances.     But  he  infers  from  them 
an  antecedent  cause.     What  he  now 
sees  and  hears  is  the  manifestation 
and  proof  that  God  has  blessed  him  ; 
consequently  the  tense  is  the  perfect, 
preceded  by  a  statement  in  which 
the  ruling  verb  is  in  the  imperfect 
(virtually  the  present  tense).     This 


use  of  the  tenses,  like  our  pluperfect, 
gives  the  near  and  the  remote  their 
proper  perspective.  See  Driver's 
Heb.  Tenses,  p.  19. 

(3)  Mighty     champion.      Heb. 
gibbor,  a  strong  man,  but  always  of 
a  warrior,  hero,  or  champion  distin- 
guished in  military  affairs.     See  on 
xix.  5,  xxiv.  7, 9.    Here  a  champion  or 
defender  of  truth  and  righteousness. 

(4)  The  right  of  the  lowly    Heb. 
p^y    nijj;,     meekness-righteousness. 
Two  nouns  apparently  in  apposition. 
Perowne  :  '•'•righteous  meekness." 

(5)  Lit.  In  the  heart  of  the  king's 
enemies. 

(6)  Thy  throne,  O  God.     Mod- 
ern criticism  until  very  recently  has 
pressed  hard  for  a  translation  which 
shall  avoid  rendering  "* Elohim  (God] 
as    a    vocative,    advocating    either 
"Thy  throne  of  God,"  that  is,  thy 
Divine  throne ;  or,  assuming  an  el- 
lipsis, "  Thy  throne  is  (a  throne  of) 
God;"  or,  "Thy  throne   is   God." 
But  it  is  now  fully  conceded  that  any 
translation   of  the   present  Hebrew 
text,  other  than  that  of  the  Septua- 
gint,  which  our  English  Bible  fol- 
lows, is   harsh,  unsatisfactory,  and 
most  improbable.    The  claim  is  sub- 
stituted,  that  the    Hebrew  text  is 
corrupt.      This   is   based,  however, 
solely  on  subjective  and  conjectural 
grounds,  and  has  no  support  from 
any   manuscript    or    version.      See 
Cheyne  in  loc.  and  Toy's  Quotations 
from   the   O.   T.  under  Heb.   i.   8. 
Cheyne,  adopting   Bickel's  restora- 
tion  (?),  translates  as   follows,  the 
supplied  words  in  italics  :  — 

"  As  for  thy  throne^rw  is  its  foundation^ 
God  has  established  it  forever  and  ever." 


PSALM    XLV. 


123 


This  is  a  fair  example  of  the  dan- 
gerous temerity  of  some  modern 
leaders  in  textual  criticism.  —  For- 
ever and  alway,  —  not  the  more 
usual  repetition  'olam  tfolam,.  but 
the  frequent  'olam  tfad  ("l#l  D/^)» 
'ad  from  'addh,  to  pass  along;  'olam 
gives  us  time  in  the  mass  —  the  great 
cycle  whose  farthest  bound  is  hidden 
from  sight;  but  WpJP),that  endless 
time  in  detail,  duration,  continuity  j 
somewhat  like  the  Greek  a^pi,  in  dis- 
tinction from  /ze'xpi-  This  is  of  value 
in  the  full  conception  of  eternity. 

(8)  All  myrrh.  Not  like  myrrh ; 
a  bold  metaphor,  as  if  myrrh,  etc., 
were  the  material  of  his  clothing.  — 
The  wood  of  the  fragrant  agalloch. 
Heb.  "ahhaloth  qetsioth.  The  two 
words  are  without  the  intervening 
connective  and.  The  ''ahhalah  is  al- 
so mentioned  as  a  perfume  in  Prov. 
viii.  17  and  Cant.  iv.  14.  There  as 
here  the  form  is  plural,  and  is  trans- 
lated as  plural  in  the  Eng.  Bible. 
It  is  not  to  be  identified  with  the 
bitter  and  nauseous  drug  bearing 
the  name  "aloes"  (always  plural),  nor 
with  the  aloe  proper,  a  plant  or  tree 
found  in  various  parts  of  the  world. 
It  is  the  agalloch,  a  very  large  tree 
growing  in  India  and  Cochin  China, 
and  of  great  value  for  its  perfume. 
The  name  is  not  of  Semitic  but  of 
Indian  origin.  Sanscrit  aguru.  Hind. 
aghila.  The  misleading  name  "aloe" 
probably  came  into  use  from  its  sim- 
ilarity in  sound  to  the  word  in  the 
Indian  dialects.  See  the  Lexicons. 
Ahhaloth  is  directly  followed  by 
qetsToth.  It  is  a  word  not  found 
elsewhere  in  the  O.  T.,  qiddah  being 
the  "cassia"  mentioned  in  Exod. 
xxx.  24  and  Ezek.  xxvii.  19.  Here, 
too,  the  translation  of  the  word  by 
"  cassia "  may  have  originated  in 
similarity  of  sound,  in  addition  to 
the  suitableness  of  this  well  known 
aromatic  bark  in  connection  with 
the  two  fragrant  productions  already 
mentioned.  But  its  direct  connec- 
tion with  ''ahhaldth,  and  its  similar 
feminine  plural  termination,  as  if  in 


grammatical  agreement,  besides  its 
evident  relation  to  the  verb  qatsah, 
to  cut  off  or  out,  in  the  qatil  torm  of 
the  passive  participle  (like  "asir,  im- 
prisoned, and  mashiahh,  anointed\ 
suggest  as  far  more  probable  that  it 
describes  the  preceding  'ahhaldth  not 
as  trees,  but  as  wood  cut  up  into 
blocks  or  chips;  for  in  this  form  the 
perfume  was  brought  from  far-off 
regions  with  other  precious  things  in 
the  time  of  Solomon  and  thereafter. 
Dr.  Royle  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  So- 
cieties of  London  and  Calcutta,  an 
eminent  authority,  gives  a  very  full 
and  satisfactory  account  of  the  agal- 
loch under  "Atutlim"  in  Kitto's  En- 
cyclopaedia. He  describes  the  wood, 
the  bois  d'aigle  (eagle-wood)  of  com- 
merce, as  gorged  with  fragrant  resin. 
It  is  obtained  by  the  natives  by  cut- 
ting into  the  body  of  the  huge  tree 
until  the  dark-coloured  veins  which 
contain  the  perfume  are  reached,  and 
pieces  charged  with  it  are  taken 
away.  Specimens  may  be  seen  in 
the  Museum  of  the  East  India  House 
at  Calcutta. 

The  opinion  that  the  reference 
here  is  not  to  the  trees,  but  to  pieces 
of  the  wood  obtained  by  incision,  is 
confirmed  by  the  absence  of  all  fra- 
grance from  the  bark,  branches,  or 
leaves  of  this  tree,  and  perhaps  some- 
what by  the  plural  form  ahhaloth, 
remembering  that  the  Heb.  word 
V/J  (HO,  tree  (coll.),  in  the  plural 
form  'etsim,  often  means  not  trees 
but  sticks  of  wood,  boards,  timber, 
or  wood  in  pieces  for  any  purpose 
whatever. 

(8)  Harps.  Lit.  strings  of  harps. 
So  all  later  authorities. 

(12)  Shall  sue  for  thy  favour. 
Lit.  shall  stroke  thy  face. 

(14)  On  fabrics  embroidered ; 
usually  taken  as  descriptive  of  the 
clothing.  But  the  queen's  dress  has 
already  been  mentioned  twice  (vv. 
10,  14),  and  this  verse  relates  to  the 
marriage  procession  to  the  palace. 
The  Hebrew  expression  is  general ; 
embroidered  material  for  whatever 


124  THE   PSALMS. 

purpose    designed.      Besides,    the  the  more  indefinite  /  (S),  as  to,  or 

preposition  is  not,  as  in  ver.  13,  min^  towards,  which  is  used  in  Hab.  i.  6, 

of  the  material  of  a  fabric,  nor  b  (3),  of  walking  on  or  over  (Maurer,  Pe- 

of  that  in  which  one  is  clothed,  but  rowne). 


XLVI. 


OUR  GOD   IS   A  STRONGHOLD. 

/npHERE  can  be  little  doubt  that  the  historic  occasion  of  this  Psalm  is 
JL  the  sudden  destruction  of  Sennacherib's  army  before  the  gates  of 
Jerusalem,  in  the  days  of  Hezekiah.  The  confidence  and  insolence  of  the 
Assyrian  invaders  are  vividly  portrayed  in  Is.  xxxvi.  xxxvii.  The  leader 
of  the  mighty  host  seemed  fully  warranted  in  his  contemptuous  and  defiant 
boasting  by  indisputable  facts:  "Let  not  Hezekiah  deceive  you,  saying, 
'the  Lord  will  deliver  us;'  hath  any  of  the  gods  of  the  nations  delivered 
his  land  out  of  the  hand  of  the  King  of  Assyria?" 

But  Israel  is  now  to  enjoy  a  manifestation  of  Divine  power  in  her  behalf, 
second  only  to  the  deliverance  from  Egypt.  By  a  blow  direct  from  heaven, 
the  pride  of  the  conqueror  is  humbled,  and  he  retreats  in  dismay.  "  The 
fall  of  so  great  a  worldly  power  at  so  unexpected  a  time,  and  in  contrast 
with  such  slight  external  resources  as  Judah  possessed,  was  bound  to 
awaken  in  every  way  joy  and  exultation,  as  well  as  profounder  reflection." 
—  Ewald. 

It  would  seem  as  if  the  poet  had  idealized  recent  historic  events,  as 
connected  with  great  Divine  forces,  that  are  working  in  defence  of  truth 
and  right  against  the  evil  and  wrong  that  have  so  long  been  defiant  and 
dominant  in  the  world.  This  wonderful  deliverance  is  before  his  mind  as 
suggestive  of  the  final  deliverance  of  the  church  from  oppression  and  suf- 
fering, of  a  time  under  the  reign  of  the  Messiah,  when  evil  shall  be  forever 
vanquished,  righteousness  and  peace  covering  the  whole  earth.  In  this 
aspect  this  song  of  praise  is  permanently  precious.  It  is  the  inspired 
basis  of  Luther's  magnificent  choral,  "Ein  feste  Burg  ist  unser  Gott." 

The  first  strophe  brings  out  the  general  truth  of  the  safety  of  those  who 
are  under  God's  protection,  even  amidst  the  wildest  commotions,  and  most 
appalling  dangers  (1-3). 

The  second  strophe  exhibits  more  particularly  the  safety  of  Zion,  as  God's 
dwelling  place;  from  which  all  gracious  influences  descend  in  living 
streams,  and  which  He  will  maintain  in  beauty  and  strength,  while  under 
His  judgments  opposing  kingdoms  shall  tumble  into  ruin,  and  in  the  heat 
of  His  wrath  the  solid  earth  shall  be  dissolved  (4-7). 

In  the  third  strophe  the  completed  result  of  the  recent  Divine  interposi- 
tion is  celebrated  in  joyful  song.  The  uproar  has  ceased.  The  enemy, 


PSALM   XLVI.  125 

before  the  pride  of  whose  power  the  chosen  people  had  so  lately  trembled 
in  deadly  fear,  is  put  to  silence,  the  instruments  of  war  are  destroyed,  and 
peace  is  restored  to  the  wearied  and  exhausted  earth  (8-n). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   BY  THE  SONS  OF  KORAH.   UPON 
ALAMOTH.   A  SONG. 

1  We  have  God  on  our  side,  a  refuge  and  fortress, 
A  help  in  distress  to  be  found  without  fail ; 

2  Therefore  we  fear  not  when  the  earth  is  all  changed, 
And  the  mountains  are  shaken  in  the  heart  of  the  sea. 

3  Let  its  waters  roar  and  boil  up, 

Let  the  mountains  quake  with  their  swelling.       [Selah.] 

4  In  the  holy  pavilion  of  God,  the  Most  High, 

A  river  is  flowing, 
Whose  streams  fill  His  city  with  joy; 

5  She  has  God  in  the  midst,  and  cannot  be  shaken, 
For  God  gives  her  aid  at  the  earliest  dawn. 

6  The  nations  roared,  the  kingdoms  were  shaken, 
When  He  uttered  His  voice  the  earth  was  dissolved. 

7  Jehovah  Sebaoth  is  with  us, 

The  God  of  Jacob  our  refuge.  [Selah.] 

8  Come,  behold  what  Jehovah  has  done ; 
What  stillness  He  brought  on  the  earth. 

9  He  silences  war  to  the  bounds  of  the  earth  ; 
He  shivers  the  bow,  breaks  asunder  the  spear, 

And  burns  up  the  chariot  with  fire. 

10  Cease  ye,  and  know,  I  am  verily  God ; 
Above  nations  exalted,  I  am  high  in  the  earth. 

1 1  Jehovah  Sebaoth  is  with  us, 

The  God  of  Jacob  our  refuge.  [Selah.] 

(i)  God  on  our  side.  Heb.  'Elo-  strongly  confirms  the  whole  preced- 

him  lanu.     The  emphatic   position  ing  affirmation.     Perowne  renders, 

of  lanu  and  its  evident  reference  to  "A  help  in  distress  He  is  very  surely 

antagonistic  powers  favour  our  trans-  found." 

lating  as  in  cxxiv.  1,2.     So  Jehovah  (2)  "When  the  earth.    The  prep. 

li  in  cxviii.  6,  "Jehovah  is  on  my  b  (3)  before  the   infinitive   is  uni- 

side."  — Without  fail.     Heb.mS0O,  formly   temporal,   meaning    in    the 

usually  rendered  exceedingly.  It  here  time    of,    and    it    cannot    properly 


126 


THE   PSALMS. 


be  represented  by  the  contingent 
"  though  "  (A.  V.).  The  early  trans- 
lators failed  to  see  that  the  Psalm- 
ist is  not  drawing  upon  his  imag- 
ination for  possible  convulsions  in 
the  frame  of  nature,  in  which  should 
they  occur,  he  would  maintain  his 
trust  in  God.  But  he  is  describing 
in  figurative  language  actual  events. 
A  comparison  of  vv.  2,  3  with  ver. 
6  identifies  the  "  change "  of  the 
earth  with  the  desolation  of  war,  the 
roar  of  the  waves  with  the  roar  of 
excited  nations,  and  tottering  moun- 
tains with  tottering  kingdoms,  —  all 
among  the  palpable  facts  of  recent 
history.— All  changed.  Heb.  Jiamir, 
a  word  meaning  exchange,  or  the  bar- 
tering of  one  thing  for  another,  and 
so  it  describes  a  complete  change  in 
appearance  or  condition.  —  Shaken. 
Heb.  miit.  Here  the  R.  V.  substi- 
tutes "moved"  for  "carried"  (A.V.), 
to  correspond  with  the  rendering  of 
the  same  verb  in  verses  5,  6,  and 
uniformly  elsewhere.  But  this  is  a 
feeble  and  always  inadequate  render- 
ing. The  Heb.  word  always  means 
to  shake  or  totter,  except  where  the 
context  suggests  the  stronger  idea 
of  falling,  or  absolute  overthrow. 
This  latter  may  be  the  meaning 
here ;  the  mountains  overthrown 
(toppling  over)  into  the  heart  (the 
depths)  of  the  seas;  or,  according 
to  our  rendering,  shaken  to  their 
very  roots,  which  are  regarded  as 
spreading  under  the  seas.  This  is 
affirmed  here  of  mountains,  and  of 
the  kingdoms  of  the  world ;  but  Zion, 
sustained  by  Almighty  power,  can- 
not be  shaken. 

(4)  The  exact  order  of  the  words 
in  the  Hebrew  text  would  give  us 
"A  river  (is  flowing)  whose  streams 
make  glad  the  city  of  God,  the  holy 
sanctuary  of  the  Most  High."  The 
first  Hebrew  word,  nahar,  a  flowing 
stream,  is  from  the  root  nahar,  to 
flow,  which  supplies  a  verb  for  the 
otherwise  imperfect  sentence.  The 
second  word  pelaglm,  streams,  — 


that  is,  the  conduits  for  conveying 
water  in  artificial  irrigation.  See 
note  on  i.  3.  The  question  remaining 
relates  to  the  last  clause,  "  the  holy 
sanctuary,"  etc. ;  whether  it  is  in 
apposition  with  "the  city."  identify- 
ing the  two  (so  A.  V.),  or  an  adver- 
bial accusative,  the  place  where  the 
river  is  seen,  and  from  which  its  wa- 
ters are  conveyed  to  the  dwellings 
and  inhabitants  of  the  city.  This  is 
exactly  consistent  with  grammatical 
usage.  It  gives  clearness  and  beauty 
to  the  description,  connecting  the 
spiritual  refreshment  and  blessing 
provided  for  the  people  at  large  with 
the  institutions  of  worship  as  the  ap- 
pointed means  of  grace,  as  if  streams 
were  flowing  from  the  heights  of 
Zion  to  the  lower  levels  of  "human 
life. 

(7,  n)  Jehovah  Sebaoth.  Jeho- 
vah of  hosts,  or  armies,  as  in  xxiv. 

10.  Sebdoth  first  appears  as  an  ad- 
dition to  the  highest  Divine  Name 
in  the  prayer  of  Hannah,  I  Sam.  i. 

11.  It  exhibits  the  omnipotence  of 
God,   as  having  all   things  created 
under  His  control  as  a  vast  army. 
The  angels  and  the  stars  are  called 
His  hosts  in  ciii.  21,  cxlviii.  2.     Of 
the  former  see  Gen.  xxxii.  2.     "He 
said  'This  is  God's  host;'"  of  the 
latter,   Jud.  v.    20,    "The    stars    in 
their  courses  fought  against  Sisera." 
Compare  Joel  iii.  n. 

(8)  Stillness.  (A.V.)  desolations. 
Heb.  shammoth,  lit.  silences,  from 
shamam,  prim,  to  be  struck  dumb; 
then  the  silence  of  a  place  deserted 
and  desolate,  in  contrast  with  the 
noise  and  turmoil  of  inhabitants. 
The  word  seems  to  refer  here  not  to 
desolations,  whether  wrought  by  war 
or  more  immediate  Divine  judgment, 
but  more  graphically  to  the  hiish  that 
prevails  when  the  tumult  of  war  and 
the  shouts  of  battle  have  ceased. 
This  is  confirmed  explicatively  by 
the  following  verses,  "He  silences 
war,"  etc. 


PSALM   XLVII.  127 


XLVII. 


ALL  NATIONS   WORSHIP  JEHOVAH   AS   THEIR  KING. 

E  subject  of  this  Psalm  is  the  joyful  acknowledgment  by  all  nations 
of  God's  absolute  sovereignty  in  the  world.  It  embodies,  therefore, 
the  Messianic  idea  of  the  fulfilment  of  the  promise  to  Abraham  that  he 
should  be  the  father  of  nations,  and  so  points  forward  to  the  time  when 
this  idea  and  promise  should  be  fully  realized  in  the  ascension  and  exalta- 
tion of  our  blessed  Lord. 

Its  position  between  Psalms  xlvi.  and  xlviii.  seems  to  embody  a  very 
ancient  tradition  that  connects  it  with  the  same  historic  events.  As  al- 
ready intimated  in  connection  with  the  former  of  this  triad,  the  invasion  of 
Judea  by  the  Assyrian  army,  and  its  defeat  by  special  Divine  interven- 
tion, as  related  in  Is.  xxxvii.,  seem  best  to  correspond  with  the  allusions 
of  these  Psalms.  Hupfeld  calls  Ps.  xlvii.  a  practical  expansion  of  xlvi. 
10,  "I  am  exalted  among  the  nations,  I  am  exalted  in  the  earth." 

There  are  two  strophes,  —  the  first  consisting  of  four  verses,  the  second 
of  five. 

1.  All  nations  called  upon  to  rejoice  in  the  subjugation  of  the  earth  to  Jehovah  as 
its  rightful  King  (1-4-}.  2.  Jehovah's  assumption  of  the  sovereignty  ;  and  ascension  to 
the  throne  (5-9). 

FOR   THE   LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.     BY   THE    SONS    OF    KORAH.     A   PSALM. 

1  Clap  your  hands,  all  ye  peoples  ; 
Shout  unto  God  with  loud  triumph  ; 

2  For  Jehovah,  Most  High,  is  one  to  be  feared, 
Over  all  the  earth  a  great  King. 

% 

3  He  makes  peoples  submit  to  our  rule, 
And  nations  puts  under  our  feet; 

4  For  us  doth  He  choose  the  land  we  inherit, 
The  pride  of  Jacob,  the  people  that  He  loved. 

5  Our  God  is  gone  up  amid  shoutings, 
Jehovah  with  sound  of  a  trumpet  ; 

6  Strike  the  harp  unto  God,  strike  the  harp, 
Strike  the  harp  to  our  King,  strike  the  harp. 


128  THE   PSALMS. 

7  For  God  is  the  King  who  rules  the  whole  earth, 
Strike  the  harp  with  a  song  wisely  wrought. 

8  God  governs  the  nations  as  King; 
On  His  holy  throne  is  God  seated. 

9  The  princes  of  peoples  assembled, 

As  a  people  of  Abraham's  God  ; 
For  God's  own  are  the  shields  of  the  earth, 
He  is  greatly  exalted. 

(3,  4)  The  tenses  here  are  present,  of  that  ancient  grace.  It  stands  be- 
There  is  reference,  indeed,  to  the  fore  the  poet's  eye  as  a  new  choice 
grace  by  which  at  the  beginning  of  and  gift  by  the  immediate  act  of  their 
their  national  history  the  Canaanit-  covenant  God. 

ish  nations  were  conquered,  and  the         (5)  God  is  gone  up.    The  display 

chosen  people  put  in  possession  of  of  God's  power  on  earth  in  special 

the  goodly  land.     But  that  wondrous  judgments  upon  men  is  described  as 

grace  is  here  "  idealized  and  gene-  a  descending  from  His   throne ;  so 

ralized  "  (Del.).     Every  victory  over  when  His  designs  have  been  accom- 

invaders  who   would    have   robbed  plished,  He  is  said  to  return  to  it; 

them  of  their  inheritance  is  a  con-  Gen.  xvii.  22;  Judg.  xiii.2o;  Ps.  vii. 

formation,  and  virtually  a  repetition,  7,  Ixviii.  18. 


XLVIII. 

MOUNT  ZION  UNDER  THE   PROTECTION  OF  HER  ALMIGHTY 

KING. 

THIS  Psalm  is  connected  historically,  and  by  internal  sequence,  with 
the  two  that  precede  it. 

1.  God  praised,  and  Zion  admired  in  its  beauty  and  strength  (1-3).  2.  The  defeat 
and  dispersion  of  invading  enemies  (£-8).  3.  The  thought  of  1—3  amplified  ;  God  to 
be  praised  in  all  the  earth,  Israel  to  rejoice,  and  the  glory  of  Zion  to  be  recited  to  all 
generations  (9-14). 

A   SONG.      A  PSALM   BY  THE  SONS   OF  KORAH. 

1  Jehovah  is  great  and  all-worthy  of  praise, 
On  His  holy  mount,  in  the  city  of  our  God. 

2  A  beautiful  rise,  the  joy  of  all  earth, 

Is  Mount  Zion  at  the  northernmost  bounds, 
The  city  where  dwells  the  great  King ; 

3  God  has  made  Himself  known 

As  a  tower  on  her  fortified  heights. 


PSALM   XLVIII.  129 

4  For,  lo,  when  the  kings  set  their  time, 
They  together  came  on ; 

5  Even  they,  when  they  saw,  were  struck  dumb, 
They  were  greatly  afraid  and  they  fled ; 

6  Then  shuddering  seized  them ; 
They  writhed  like  a  woman  in  travail : 

7  With  winds  from  the  east, 

Ships  of  Tarshish  Thou  breakest  in  pieces. 

8  As  we  heard,  even  so  have  we  seen, 

In  the  city  of  Jehovah  of  Hosts, 

In  the  city  of  our  God ; 
God  Himself  upholds  it  forever. 

9  We  have  pondered  Thy  great  lovingkindness,  O  God, 
In  the  midst  of  Thy  palace ; 

10  As  Thy  Name,  even  so  is  Thy  praise ; 

It  reaches,  O  God,  to  the  bounds  of  the  earth, 
And  righteousness  fills  Thy  right  hand. 

1 1  Let  Mount  Zion  be  glad, 

Let  the  daughters  of  Judah  rejoice, 
Because  of  Thy  judgments. 

12  Walk  about  Zion,  the  full  circuit  complete, 
Take  account  of  her  towers ; 

13  Set  your  mind  on  her  walls, 

And  consider  her  fortified  heights ; 
That  so  ye  may  tell  the  next  generation ; 

14  For  this  God  is  our  God,  forever  and  alway, 
It  is  He  that  will  guide  us  evermore. 

(1)  All  worthy  of  praise.     Heb.    higher.     On  account  of  its  elevation 
mhallel  me'dd,  to  be  praised  exceed-    it  was  the  characteristic  feature  of 
ingly.  the  Holy  City,  but  by  immense  la- 

(2)  At  the  northernmost  bounds ;  bour  it  was  removed  by  the  Macca- 
that  is,  of  the  city,  or  of  the  elevated  bees,  so  that  no  hill  higher  than  the 
plateau  on  which  it  was  built.  There  Temple  and  the  Upper  City  might 
can  be  no  longer  a  doubt  that  the  an-  be  occupied  by  an  enemy,  as  this  had 
cient  hill  of  Zion  is  near  the  northern  been  by  the  Macedonians  (Warren's 
extremity  of  the  more  westerly  of  the  "  Underground  Jerusalem"  p.  52). 
two  ridges  into  which  the  city  was  On  the  eastern,  western,  and  south- 
anciently  divided.     The  temple  hill  ern  sides  Jerusalem  was  bounded  by 
was  opposite  on  the  eastern  ridge,  impassable  ravines,  the  valley  of  Hin- 
The   crest  of  Zion  was  much   the  nom  on  the  west,  and  the  valley  of 


130 


THE    PSALMS. 


Kedron  on  the  east,  with  their  steep 
declivities,  forming  a  junction  at  the 
south,  rendering  the  city  almost  im- 
pregnable except  on  the  northern 
side,  where  strong  fortifications  were 
needed.  Inside  the  wall,  having  the 
deep  gorge  on  its  easterly  side,  the 
massive  citadel  of  Zion  towered 
above  everything  around  it. 

The  topographical  features  con- 
nected with  the  northern  elevation 
of  the  fortress,  furnish  the  simplest 
explanation  of  the  phrase  yarkethe 
tsdphon.  Yarkethe  is  a  fem.  dual 
form  ;  properly  the  two  haunches  or 
hips  of  an  animal,  at  the  back,  and 
not  at  the  front.  The  fem.  form 
was  reserved  for  things  that  round 
backward,  having  two  sides ;  the  part 
of  a  building  farthest  away  from  the 
front  entrance;  in  i  Ki.  vi.  16,  the 
back  of  the  temple  (R.V.);  in  Is.  xiv. 
1 5,  the  deepest  recesses  of  a  pit,  where 
the'two  sides  converge. 

The  added  tsaphon,  the  north,  gives 
the  trend  of  the  valleys  on  the  two 
sides  of  Mount  Zion,  or  the  direction 
of  the  part  referred  to  from  the  prin- 
cipal entrance  of  the  citadel,  which 
was  probably  on  the  southern  expos- 
ure, facing  the  Upper  City.  It  was 
the  hinder  part  that  presented  itself 
most  formidably  to  an  invading  army. 
We  must  assume  the  position  of  one 
approaching  the  city  from  a  direction 
that  gives  a  full  view  of  the  northern 
elevation.  The  description  of  the 
front  may  be  more  thoroughly  ap- 
preciated in  the  light  of  the  follow- 
ing sentences  from  Dean  Stanley: 
"  There  is  an  approach  to  the  city 
which  is  really  grand,  —  namely,  from 
Jericho  and  Bethany.  It  is  the  ap- 
proach by  which  the  army  of  Pom- 
pey  advanced,  —  the  first  western 
army  that  ever  confronted  it,  —  and 
it  is  the  approach  of  the  Triumphal 
Entry  of  the  Gospels. . . .  The  beauty 
consists  in  this,  that  you  there  burst 
at  once  on  the  two  great  ravines 
which  cut  the  city  off  from  the  sur- 
rounding table-land,  and  that  there 
you  have  a  complete  view  of  the 
Mosque  of  Omar.  From  whatever 


point  that  graceful  dome  with  its 
beautiful  precinct  emerges  to  view, 
it  at  once  dignifies  the  whole  city  " 
(Sinai  and  Palestine,  p.  157)  We 
have  only  to  substitute  for  the  army 
of  Pompey  the  confederate  kings, 
whose  consternation,  flight,  and  ruin 
are  described  in  verses  4-7,  and  for 
the  Mosque  of  Omar  the  lofty  ram- 
parts of  Zion,  and  we  understand 
the  Psalm.  In  "  the  two  sides,"  or 
thighs,  of  the  Hebrew  text,  there  is 
probably  an  allusion  to  the  two  great 
converging  ravines. 

(3)  Fortified  heights.     Heb.  Vr- 
mon,  a  fortress,  or  castle.     See  i  Ki. 
xvi.  18,  2  Ki.  xv.   25;    but  the  pri- 
mary idea  from  the   root  ''dram  is 
height.     The   plural  form   refers  to 
the  mass  of  buildings  included  in  the 
citadel;  so  in  ver.  13.     See  2  Sam. 
v.  10. 

(4)  Set  their  time.     Heb.  yd' ad, 
(TJT)f   to  appoint  a  place  or  time. 
The  Niphal  form  is  reciprocal,  — to 
agree  upon  a  time,  etc.     It  includes 
all  preliminary  arrangements  for  a 
united  attack. 

(5)  Even    they.     The    emphatic 
pronoun  referring  to  their  strength, 
self-confidence,  and   usual  fearless- 
ness. 

(7)  Ships  of  Tarshish.    These  in 
their  size  and  strength  are  symbols 
of  the  powers  of  the  world  in  their 
opposition  to  God.     See  Is.  xxxiii. 
21, 23.   An  expression  of  comparison, 
as,  or  like,  might  have  been  used. 
But  the  poet  is  bolder.     Ideally  he 
sees  before  him,  in  these  enemies  of 
Zion,  strongly  built  ships  of  Tarshish 
foundered   by  the   east  wind.     Yet 
there  is  possibly  reference  to  an  ac- 
tual disaster  at  sea,  similar  to  that 
related  in  i  Ki.  xxii.  48. 

(8)  As  ...  so.    Here  the  terms  of 
comparison  are  used,  characteristic  of 
.the  concluding  strophe.     The  poet's 
mind  labours  to  express  adequately 
the  splendour  of  Zion,  as  glorified  by 
the   presence   of   her  Divine  King. 
"  As  we  have  heard  "  refers  to  what 
they  have  heard  from  their  fathers 
of  ancient  deliverances;  see  xliv.  i. 


PSALM   XLIX. 


—  God  Himself.     The  position  of 
the  Divine  Name  is  emphatic. 

(9)  Pondered.     Heb.  dammtnft, 
we  have  compared,  —  of  putting  two 
things  side  by  side,  as  in  the  preced- 
ing verse,  in  order  to  form  a  correct 
estimate.     The  result  is  reached  in 
the  as  and  so  of  the  verse  following. 

(10)  As  Thy  Name,  even  so  is 
Thy  praise.     God's    Name,  as   en- 
couraging hope  in  His  faithful  love, 
and  the  praise  of  that  love  as  real- 
ized, are  equal,  and  both  immeasura- 
ble. 

(11)  The    daughters   of    Judah. 
A   personification  of  the  cities  and 
villages  of  Judah  that  had  suffered 
by  the  invasion. 

(14)  Forever  and  alway.  See 
on  xlv.  6.  —  Evermore.  Heb.  "al- 
muth.  Lit.  upon  death.  Engl.  Bi- 
ble, until  death.  But  this  preposi- 


tion never  means  until)  and  if  it 
might,  the  thought  is  unsuitable 
here,  as  limiting  the  preceding  as- 
surance of  eternal  blessing  to  the 
present  life.  There  are  two  expla- 
nations. The  two  words  may  be 
united,  giving  the  meaning  eternities. 
But  this  would  be  a  feminine  form 
which  is  never  used  elsewhere.  Or, 
the  *Al-muth  is  a  musical  designa- 
tion, belonging  to  the  title  of  the 
next  Psalm,  as  in  the  title  to  Ps.  ix. 
The  vowel  pointing  of  the  text  is 
adapted  to  this  view,  but  to  no  other. 
If  it  be  correct,  the  Psalm  properly 
ends,  "  It  is  He  that  will  guide  us." 
It  is  implied,  however,  that  the  guid- 
ance will  continue  "  evermore,"  in 
the  close  connection  of  this  line  with 
the  preceding,  and  the  sense  is  not 
materially  affected  whether  we  insert 
or  omit  the  word  that  expresses  it. 


XLIX. 


THE  VANITY  OF  EARTHLY  AGGRANDIZEMENT. 

PSALM  xlix.  is  didactic,  and  contains  no  national  or  historic  allusions. 
It  is  addressed  to  all  men  without  distinction.  "It  discusset  the 
problem  of  temporal  happiness  and  the  prosperity  of  the  ungodly,  and  is 
therefore  related  to  xxvii.  and  Ixxiii."  (Moll).  It  exhibits  the  transitoriness 
of  the  success  and  joy  of  the  wicked,  and  the  sure  hope  of  the  upright 
resting  upon  God.  Its  character  is  in  harmony  with  the  title  which  as- 
cribes it  to  David  as  the  author. 

1.  An  introduction,  exhibiting  the  general  character  and  source  of  the  communica* 
tions  that  follow  (1-4).  2.  A  description  of  the  rich  and  ungodly, proud  of  their 
•wealth  and  splendour,  but  surely  passing  away  from  the  earth  (5-12).  3.  The  lot  of 
the  righteous  hereafter,  contrasted  with  that  of  the  wicked  (13-20). 

Each  of  the  principal  divisions  is  follcnued  by  a  refrain,  differing  in  a  single  word. 

FOR   THE   LEADER   OF  THE   CHOIR.      BY  THE   SONS  OF  KORAH.      A  PSALM. 

1  Hear  this,  all  ye  nations, 

Give  ear,  all  that  dwell  on  the  earth, 

2  Both  low  born  and  high, 

The  rich  and  the  poor  all  alike. 


132  THE   PSALMS. 

3  My  mouth  utters  wisdom, 

And  the  thought  of  my  heart  is  sound  judgment ; 

4  Mine  ear  I  incline  to  deep  sayings, 
And  my  riddle  disclose  with  the  harp. 

5  Why  should  I  fear  when  the  evil  days  come, 
When  my  guilty  pursuers  surround  me? 

6  They  that  trust  in  their  riches 

And  boast  their  abundance  of  wealth, 

7  Not  one  can  at  all  redeem  his  own  brother, 
Nor  make  payment  to  God  of  his  ransom,  — 

8  For  the  purchase  of  life  is  too  costly, 
And  forever  must  they  let  it  alone  — 

9  That  he  may  alway  live  on, 
And  never  go  down  to  the  grave. 

10  For  he  seeth  that  wise  men  must  die, 

The  fool  and  the  brutish,  alike  must  they  perish, 
And  give  up  their  riches  to  others. 

1 1  It  lies  in  their  mind  that  their  houses  continue  forever, 

Their  dwellings  to  age  after  age ; 
To  their  lands  they  give  their  own  names. 

12  But  man  in  his  grandeur  abides  not; 

He  becomes  like  the  beasts  that  must  perish. 

13  This  is  their  course  in  their  folly, 
With  those  coming  after 

That  delight  in  their  sayings ;  [Selah.] 

14  They  are  gathered  like  sheep  into  Sheol, 

With  Death  as  their  Shepherd ; 
In  the  morning  the  just  tread  them  down, 
And  their  form  shall  Sheol  consume, 
Till  it  have  no  place  of  abode. 

15  But  my  soul  God  redeemeth  from  Sheol, 

For  He  will  receive  me.  [Selah.] 

16  Have  no  fear  when  a  man  is  made  rich, 
When  the  glory  of  his  house  is  increased. 

17  For  he  dies  and  takes  nothing  away, 
His  glory  descendeth  not  with  him. 


PSALM   XLIX. 


133 


1 8  Although  in  his  lifetime  he  blesses  his  soul,  — 
And  others  will  praise  thy  good  deeds  for  thyself,  — 

19  To  his  fathers'  generation  it  goeth, 
Who  eternally  see  not  the  light. 

20  Man  in  his  grandeur  abides  not, 

But  resembleth  the  beasts  that  must  perish. 


(4)  See  the  same  combination  of 
mashal,  proverb,  and  hhidah,  riddle, 
in  Ixxviii.  2;  Prov.  i.  6. 

(5)  Guilty  pursuers.    Heb.  guilt 
at    my  heels.     See   Ivi.   6.     "They 
watch  my  heels,"  —  that  is,  my  steps. 
The  reference  here  is  to  evil-minded 
men  who  have  been  following  in  his 
track,  and  have  overtaken  and  now 
are  all  about  him. 

(9)  That  he  may  alway  live  on. 
This  connects  with  ver.  7,  and  ver.  8 
is  parenthetical. 

(12)  It  lies  in  their  mind.  Heb. 
V  qirbam,  in  their  interior.  The  in- 
tentional and  admirable  vagueness 
of  the  word  has  puzzled  translators 
and  interpreters.  The  poet  is  giving 
an  inference  from  the  outward  to  an 
unuttered  and  undefined  inward. 
The  "  houses  "  mentioned  are  those 
they  inhabit,  and  the  "lands"  (Heb. 
'adamoth,  grounds,  land  as  culti- 
vated), are  those  they  occupy  during 
their  lifetime.  The  solidity  of  the 
former  seems  to  embody  the  idea  of 
resistance  to  the  ravages  of  time, 
and  possible  convulsions  of  nature, 
and  the  acquisition  of  an  everlasting 
home.  This  appears  to  have  lain  in 
the  mind  of  the  builder,  not  as  an 
opinion,  noran  expectation,  nor  a  wish 
(Hengst.,  Del.,  Hitz.),  and  scarcely 
even  as  the  ghost  of  an  impression. 
In  fact,  while  it  has  a  certain  activ- 
ity and  effectiveness,  it  is  mainly 
negative.  It  ignores  the  dread  cer- 
tainty of  death,  and  impels  a  man 
without  thought  or  questioning  to 
build  as  if  for  eternity.  The  Hebrew 
has  no  word  to  express  this,  or  to  fix 
its  location  in  the  human  mechanism 
in  the  psychological  significance  of 
its  several  parts,  and  the  poet  takes 
refuge  in  the  indeterminate  qirbam. 
It  is  inside  of  him,  somewhere  in  the 


circumference  of  his  personal  life. 
Our  best  name  for  it  is  perhaps  in- 
stinct. It  is  the  simulacrum,  the 
spectre  of  his  forfeited  immortality 
that  will  not  be  laid  to  rest.  The 
Targ.,  Sept.,  and  Syr.  versions  trans- 
late here  as  if  they  had  before  them 
in  the  text  qebardm,  "  their  graves 
are  their  houses  forever."  This  is 
probably  a  conjecture  occasioned  by 
the  singular  use  of  qirbam  in  such  a 
connection.  It  has  been  followed  by 
Olsh.,  Ew.,  Riehm,  Cheyne,  and 
others.  Perowne  does  not  adopt  it, 
yet  says,  "It  gives  a  good  sense,  and 
is  the  simplest  reading."  But  what- 
ever we  gain  here  is  more  than  coun- 
terbalanced by  the  difficulty  in  find- 
ing an  intelligible  sense  for  the  clos- 
ing line,  and  especially  of  finding  a 
new  subject  for  the  verb  "  they  give  " 
(Heb.  qare'u.  Lit.  "they  call"), 
after  having  put  the  owners  of  the 
land  into  their  graves.  Cheyne  con- 
fesses this  when  he  says,  "Something 
must  be  supplied ;  rhythm  and  sense 
require  it,"  and  still  more  when  he 
gives  the  following  bold  rendering,  in 
palpable  disregard  of  the  Hebrew 
text,  the  versions,  and  all  other  au- 
thority, "  (Forgotten  are)  they  whose 
names  men  spoke  with  honour  in  the 
lands."  The  poet  reminds  us  here 
of  "the  kings  and  counsellors  of  the 
earth"  in  Sheol  (Job  iii.  14),  "which 
builded  up  waste  places  (Heb.  hha- 
raboth,  marg.  R.  V.,  desolate  piles) 
for  themselves,"  referring  to  their 
palaces,  as  given  up  to  desolation. 

(13)  From  this  point  the  style 
labours,  as  if  oppressed  by  the 
gloom  of  the  subject,  and  the  sense 
here  and  there  is  obscure.  —  Their 
course.  Heb.  their  way,  of  life  in 
its  future,  as  in  xxxvii.  5,  referring 
to  the  description  in  verses  14-19. 


I34  THE   PSALMS. 


L. 


THE  NATURE  OF  TRtlE  WORSHIP  DECIDED  JUDICIALLY. 

HPHIS  is  the  first  of  twelve  Psalms  that  bear  the  name  of  Asaph.  The 
JL  others,  Ixxiii.-lxxxiii.,  are  the  first  eleven  of  the  Third  Book.  Asaph 
and  his  sons  were  leaders  of  four  out  of  the  twenty- four  classes  into  which 
the  musical  service  for  Divine  worship  was  divided  by  David:  I  Chron. 
xxiii.  2-5.  As  a  writer  of  Psalms  Asaph  is  mentioned  with  David  in  2  Chron. 
xxix.  30,  where  he  is  also  called  "  the  seer."  The  Asaphic  Psalms  have 
several  characteristics  in  common.  They  are  distinguished  by  loftiness  of 
tone,  combined  with  spirited  and  picturesque  expression,  and  especially  by 
their  frequent  exhibition  of  the  sovereign  judgment  of  God  as  determining 
the  future. 

While  Ps.  1.  was  probably  composed  by  the  elder  Asaph,  some  Psalms 
of  the  group  bear  evidence  of  later  origin.  It  is  not  unlikely  that  Asaph  is 
here  a  family  designation.  The  Asaphites  are  mentioned  as  late  as  the 
time  of  Nehemiah ;  Neh.  vii.  44,  xi.  22.  Here,  as  in  Ixxv.  and  Ixxxii.,  God 
appears  as  Judge,  and  addresses  judicially  those  arraigned  before  Him. 

The  claim  that  in  this  Psalm  the  sacrifices  of  the  Mosaic  ritual  are  repu- 
diated is  without  foundation.  The  only  service  repudiated  is  the  substitu- 
tion of  the  externality  of  sacrifice  for  the  claims  of  the  moral  law,  and  for 
spiritual  worship. 

1.  A  Theophany,  similar  to  that  on  Sinai,  and  a  call  on  the  covenanted  people  to 
stand  before  God  for  judgment  (1-6).  2.  An  exposition  of  the  Divine  law,  as  against 
those  who  imagine  that  God  is  to  be  honoured  only  by  sacrifice  (7-15).  3.  The  imgodly 
are  judged  for  their  gross  violations  of  the  second  table  of  the  law,  and  appropriately 
-warned  (16-23). 

A   PSALM.      BY   ASAPH. 

1  El  Elohim  Jehovah 

Speaks  and  summons  the  earth 
From  the  rise  of  the  sun  to  its  setting. 

2  Out  of  Zion  the  perfect  in  beauty, 

It  is  God  that  shines  forth ; 

3  He  that  comes  is  our  God, 

He  will  not  keep  silence ; 
Consuming  fires  are  before  Him, 

And  around  Him  fierce  tempests. 


PSALM    L.  135 

4  He  summons  the  heavens  on  high, 
And  the  earth  to  attend, 

While  He  judges  His  people; 

5  "  Bring  before  me  the  people  I  loved, 

Who  accepted  my  covenant  with  sacrifice  slain  ;  " 

6  And  the  heavens  proclaim  Him  the  Righteous, 
For  God,  and  He  only,  is  Judge. 

7  "  My  people,  oh  hear,  let  Me  speak  ; 
I  must  witness  against  thee,  O  Israel, 

I  am  God,  and  as  God  I  am  thine. 

8  I  do  not  arraign  thee  for  sacrifice  due, 

For  thine  offerings  by  burning  are  ever  before  Me; 

9  No  bullock  I  ask  from  thy  house, 
Nor  he-goats  from  thy  folds. 

10  For  all  beasts  of  the  forest  are  MINE, 
And  the  kine  on  a  thousand  high  hills. 

1 1  I  know  every  bird  of  the  mountains, 
And  with  ME  is  the  brood  of  the  plain. 

12  Not  to  thee  would  I  speak  were  I  hungry, 
For  Mine  is  the  world  and  its  fulness; 

13  Do  I  feed  on  the  flesh  of  your  bullocks, 
Or  drink  of  the  blood  of  he- goats? 

14  Offer  God  thy  thanksgiving, 

And  pay  to  the  Highest  thy  vows  ; 

15  And  call  upon  Me  in  the  day  of  sore  trouble, 
I  will  come  to  thy  rescue, 

And  then  thou  wilt  give  Me  the  glory. 

1 6  But  God  saith  to  the  wicked, 

How  darest  thou  utter  MY  statutes, 
And  my  covenant  take  up  on  thy  lips, 

17  Thou  that  hatest  instruction, 

And  behind  thee  art  casting  My  words? 

1 8  When  thou  seest  a  thief, 

With  him  thou  hast  pleasure, 
And  hast  shared  the  adulterer's  sin  ; 

19  Thy  mouth  hast  thou  loosened  for  evil, 
And  thy  tongue  frames  deceit ; 


136  THE    PSALMS. 

20  Against  thine  own  brother  thou  sittest  and  speakest, 
Yea,  thou  slanderest  the  son  of  thy  mother. 

21  These  were  thy  doings,  and  because  I  kept  silence, 

Thou  thoughtest  Me  wholly  like  thee ; 
I  accuse  thee  and  array  them  before  thee. 

22  Consider  this,  ye  that  put  God  out  of  mind, 
Lest  I  rend  you  asunder  when  none  can  deliver. 

23  From  him  have  I  honour  who  offers  thanksgiving ; 
And  to  him  that  gives  heed  to  his  way, 

I  will  show  the  salvation  of  God. 

(i)  El    Elohim    Jehovah.     The  Heb.  hhdsidl,  my  beloved,  referring 

three      principal      Divine      Names  to  his  gracious  choice  of  Israel,  as 

grouped  together,  as  only  elsewhere  the  object  of  special    favour ;    see 

in  Josh.  xxii.  22,  to  give  impressive-  note  at  iv.  3. 

ness  to  the  august  majesty  of  God  as  (16)  How  darest  thou.      Heb. 

now  to  appear  for  judgment;  El,  the  what  here  for  thee,  —  that  is,  what 

oldest,  God  as  strong;  Elohim,  God  right  hast  thou  here?  in  severe  ques- 

as  feared and  worshipped j  Jehovah,  tioning  and  reproof. 

God  as  manifested  in  the  history  of  (23)  And  to  him,  etc.     Or,  and 

redemption,  especially  as  the  God  of  prepareth  a  way  where  I  show  him 

Israel ;  see  note  at  i.  2.  the  salvation  of  God  (Delitzsch). 

(5)  The  people  I  have  loved. 


LI. 


THE   SUPPLICATION  OF  A  PENITENT. 

THIS  is  the  fourth  of  the  Penitential  Psalms  (see  on  Ps.  vi.),  and  one 
that  has  been  used  by  the  Church  in  song  and  prayer  oftener  than 
any  other  in  the  Psalter.  We  cannot  doubt  that  its  historic  root  is  to  be 
found  in  David's  great  sin.  But  as  prepared  for  the  worship  of  Israel, 
some  of  its  expressions  imply  a  consciousness  of  many  sins.  It  is  claimed 
to  be  proven  by  the  last  two  verses  that  it  was  written  during  the  captivity 
in  Babylon.  To  this  it  is  replied  that  these  verses  may  have  been  a  later 
addition.  Or,  if  they  are  considered  as  belonging  to  the  original  Psalm, 
the  phrase  "  build  Thou  the  walls  of  Jerusalem  "  does  not  necessarily  im- 
ply that  the  walls  were  actually  prostrate,  but  only  David's  consciousness 
that  the  stability  of  his  kingdom  was  imperilled  by  his  sin  (Perowne),  and 
it  is  virtually  a  prayer  that  the  walls  of  the  city  may  be  permanently  estab- 
lished. Comp.  Ps.  Ixix.  35.  The  Psalm  includes  — 


PSALM    LI.  137 

1.  Prayer  for  pity  and  pardon  (1,  2).  2.  Penitent  confession  of  sinful  deeds,  and 
of 'a  sinful  nature  (3-6).  3.  Renewed prayer  for  deliverance  from  sin  (7-9).  £.  For 
renewal  of  heart  (10-12).  5.  For  complete  restoration,  including  grace  to  offer  God 
acceptable  sacrifices  (13-17).  6.  Intercession  for  Israel  (18,  19). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   A  PSALM  OF  DAVID,  WHEN  NATHAN 
THE  PROPHET  CAME  TO  HIM,  AFTER  HE  HAD  GONE  IN  TO  BATHSHEBA. 

1  Show  me  pity,  O  God,  in  Thy  great  lovingkindness, 
As  Thy  mercies  abound,  my  transgressions  blot  out ; 

2  From  my  guilt  wash  me  throughly, 
From  my  sin  make  me  clean. 

3  For  I,  oh  I  know  my  transgressions, 
And  alway  my  sin  is  before  me ; 

4  Against  Thee,  Thee  alone,  have  I  sinned, 

And  this  evil  have  done  in  Thy  sight ; 
That  Thy  charge  may  prove  just, 
And  Thy  judgment  be  faultless. 

5  Lo,  in  guilt  was  I  born, 

And  in  sin  did  my  mother  conceive  me ; 

6  Lo,  Thy  pleasure  is  truth  deep  within ; 

In  the  part  that  is  hid  give  me  knowledge  of  wisdom. 

7  With  hyssop  branch  cleanse  me,  I  then  shall  be  pure ; 
If  Thou  wash  me,  I  thus  shall  be  whiter  than  snow. 

8  Joy  and  gladness  again  let  me  hear, 

That  the  bones  Thou  hast  crushed  may  rejoice. 

9  Hide  Thy  face  from  my  sins, 

And  all  my  guiltiness  blot  from  Thy  book. 

10  Create  for  me,  Lord,  a  pure  heart, 
Yea,  renew  a  right  spirit  within  me ; 

1 1  And  cast  me  not  off  from  Thy  presence ; 

Thy  Spirit  of  holiness,  take  Thou  not  from  me. 

12  My  joy  in  Thy  power  of  salvation  restore, 
Let  a  willing  spirit  uphold  me; 

13  Then  will  I  teach  transgressors  Thy  way, 
And  the  sinner  to  Thee  shall  return. 


133 


THE    PSALMS. 


14  Deliver  me  from  bloodshed, 

O  God,  my  God  of  salvation ; 
Let  my  tongue  of  Thy  righteousness  sing. 

15  Lord,  open  my  lips, 

And  my  mouth  shall  publish  Thy  praise, 

16  For  sacrifice  slain  is  not  Thy  delight, 

Or  this  would  I  bring  Thee ; 
Burnt  offerings  can  give  Thee  no  joy: 

17  A  broken  spirit  is  sacrifice  pleasing  to  God; 
A  heart  broken  and  contrite, 

O  God,  Thou  wilt  not  despise. 

1 8  In  Thy  favour  do  good  unto  Zion, 
And  build  Thou  Jerusalem's  walls  ; 

19  Then  shall  right  sacrifice  please  Thee, 

Burnt  offerings,  burnt  offerings  entire ; 
Then  shall  bullocks  be  led  to  Thine  altar. 


(i,  2)  Transgressions,  guilt,  sin. 
See  note  on  these  words  at  xxxii.  i, 
2. 

(6)  Truth   deep   within.      Heb. 
battiVihotli,  in  the  reins,  or  kidneys ; 
tuhhoth  is  equivalent  to  kilyoth,  Ps. 
xvi.  7,  where  see  note.     Comp.  xl.  8 ; 
God's  law  in  the  midst  of  my  bowels. 
Truth  in  the  reins  signifies  the  firm 
establishment  and  rule  of  truth  and 
right  in  a  man's  deepest  and  most 
inward  experiences  and  emotions,  in 
his  most  secret  life,  the  life  of  his 
conscience  and   heart  (Del.).     See 
xv.  2,  "the  thought  of  whose  heart 
is  the  truth,"  and  consult  the  note 
there.  —  Parallel   to   this,  the  part 
that  is  hid.    Heb.  sathiun.    A  most 
appropriate  prayer  here  follows  that 
the  depths  of  his  heart,  the  most  se- 
cret springs  of  thought,  purpose,  and 
action,  may  be  occupied  and  held  by 
that  Divine  wisdom  which  is  truth, 
and  which  expels  all  falsehood  and 
delusion.    The  man  who  has  it  walks 
in  the  light  as  God  is  in  the  light;  I 
John  i.  9. 

(7)  With  hyssop  branch  cleanse 
me.     This  is  virtually  a  prayer  for 


forgiveness.  But  not  with  any  su- 
perficial view  of  the  real  situation, 
but  with  a  deep  consciousness  of  a 
moral  impurity,  which  separates  him 
from  God,  and  which  He  only  can 
remove.  His  expression  of  this  can- 
not be  understood  except  by  refer- 
ring to  Lev.  xiv.  4-7,  and  Num.  xix. 
1 8.  A  bunch  of  hyssop  wound  around 
with  scarlet  wool  must  be  dipped  and 
saturated  for  the  sprinkling  of  the 
leper,  and  of  those  who  had  become 
unclean  by  contact  with  the  dead. 
The  reference  is  not  to  external  and 
physical  sprinkling  by  human  manip- 
ulation, but  to  the  Divine  act  which 
the  sprinkling  prescribed  in  the  law 
symbolizes. 

(16)  Sacrifice  slain  is  not  Thy 
delight.  This  is  not  to  be  under- 
stood in  disparagement  of  sacrifice, 
as  if  God  had  not  appointed  it,  or  it 
had  ceased  to  be  acceptable.  It  only 
declares  the  insufficiency  of  sacrifice 
as  an  opus  operatum,  and  quite  sepa- 
rate from  the  state  of  the  heart  de- 
scribed in  the  next  verse.  Elsewhere 
in  similar  connection  prayer,  sacri- 
fice, and  all  observances  of  the  cere- 


PSALM   LII.  139 

monial  law  are  declared  offensive  to  that  are  known  specifically  as  "whole 
God.  See  Is.  i.  13-15.  But  what  burnt  offerings."  The  expression  is 
follows  in  the  Psalm  shows  that  such  elsewhere  found  only  in  Dtut.  xxxiii. 
language  must  not  be  strained  as  im-  10,  which  also  is  poetical.  The  burnt 
plying  the  abrogation  of  the  law  of  offering  as  such  was  entirely  con- 
sacrifice :  "  Then  shall  right  sacrifice  sumed  by  fire  ;  Lev.  viii.  16,  17.  It 
please  Thee,"  etc.  See  also  at  xl.  6.  is  probably  only  intended  here  to  em- 
.  (12)  A  willing  spirit  is  one  that  phasize1  the  disposition  of  one  who 
obeys  the  Divine  law,  not  by  con-  has  received  pardon  and  special  fa- 
straint,  nor  for  the  sake  of  reward,  vour  from  God,  to  abate  nothing  from 
nor  from  fear  of  punishment,  but  the  most  complete  fulfilment  of  the 
spontaneously.  His  will,  in  all  its  law  of  sacrifice.  His  offering  shall 
impulses  and  inclinations,  is  in  har-  indeed  be  a  holocaust,  which  shall 
mony  with  the  will  of  God.  symbolize  the  absolute  surrender  of 
(i 9)  Burnt  offerings  entire.  There  his  whole  being  to  God  his  Re- 
are  no  sacrifices  in  the  Levitical  law  deemer. 


LII. 


THE  PUNISHMENT   OF  THE   MALIGNANT. 

VARIOUS  attempts  have  been  made  to  find  some  other  probable  occa- 
sion for  this  Psalm  than  that  mentioned  in  the  title.  But  they  have 
all  failed.  It  is  connected  with  the  dastardly  act  of  Doeg,  the  keeper  of 
Saul's  asses,  informing  the  king  of  Ahimelech's  kind  treatment  of  David, 
as  related  in  i  Sam.  xxii.  9.  It  resulted  in  the  slaughter  of  eighty-five 
priests,  with  many  men,  women,  and  children  in  a  priestly  city.  In  fact,  by 
the  command  of  Saul  he  slew  these  defenceless  ones  with  his  own  hand, 
and  so  merited  the  scornful  salutation,  "  O  hero  !  " 

It  is  a  remarkable  feature  of  this  Psalm  that  God  is  not  invoked  in  any 
part  of  it.  The  poet  begins  with  direct  address  to  the  infamous  offender, 
and  severe  arraignment  and  castigation,  as  representing  the  Almighty,  in 
whose  Name  and  by  the  inspiration  of  whose  Spirit  he  speaks. 

1.  Demmciation  (1-4)-  2-  Announcement  of  the  Divine  retrilmtion  (5-7). 
3.  Contrast  between  those  who  trust  in  wealth  and  wickedness,  and  those  who  r-ely 
upon  God  (8,  9). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.  A  MASKIL  BY  DAVID:  WHEN  THE 
EDOMITE  CAME  AND  TOLD  SAUL,  AND  SAID  TO  HIM,  "  DAVID  IS 
COME  TO  THE  HOUSE  OF  AHIMELECH." 

1  Why  wilt  thou  glory  in  evil,  O  hero? 

Our  God's  lovingkindness  endures  through  all  time. 

2  Thy  tongue,  that  devises  engulfing  destruction, 
Is  a  whetted  razor,  thou  dealer  in  guile. 


140  THE   PSALMS. 

3  Thou  hast  pleasure  in  injury  more  than  in  kindness, 
And  preferrest  a  lie  to  right  speech ; 

4  All  words  that  devour  give  thee  pleasure, 
Thou  false-speaking  tongue. 

5  God  Himself  will  in  turn  destroy  thee  forever; 
He  will  seize,  —  from  thy  tent  will  He  pluck  thee, 

Rooted  out  from  the  land  of  the  living. 

6  The  righteous  shall  see  it  and  fear, 
And  shall  hold  him  to  scorn : 

7  "  Lo,  the  man  that  refused  to  take  refuge  in  God, 
But  abundance  of  wealth  was  his  trust, 

Yea,  his  greed  was  his  strength." 

8  But  I,  in  God's  house, 

Like  an  olive  tree,  thrifty  and  strong, 
Forever  and  alway  God's  love  will  I  trust. 

9  I  will  thank  Thee  forever  for  what  Thou  hast  done, 
And  will  hope  in  Thy  Name  because  it  is  gracious, 

In  the  presence  of  those  whom  Thou  lovest. 


LIII. 

PREVAILING  CORRUPTION  AND   LONGING  FOR   REDEMPTION. 

A  REPRODUCTION  of  Ps.  xiv.  with  some  variations.     These  are 
principally  in  ver.  5,  as  compared  with  xiv.  5,  6,  and  the  substitution 
here  of  Elohim  for  Jehovah.     See  the  prologue  to  Ps.  xiv. 

1.  Atheism,  and  resulting1  moral  corruption,  as  universal  (1-S}.  2.  The  Divine 
indignation  bursts  forth ,  and  the  oppressors  of  innocence  are  smitten  with  terror  (4,  5). 
3.  A  longing  desire  for  the  redemption  of  Israel  (7). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   SET  TO  MAHALATH.   A  MASKIL  OF 

DAVID. 

I    "  There  is  no  God,"  says  the  fool  in  his  heart ; 
Corrupt  they  became,  yea,  in  wickedness  vile, 
There  are  none  that  do  good. 


PSALM   LIII.  141 

2  It  is  God  that  looks  forth  out  of  heaven 

On  the  children  of  men, 
To  see  whether  any  are  wise, 

Whether  any  are  seeking  for  God. 

3  They  are  all  gone  astray, 

All  alike  they  are  loathsome ; 
There  are  none  that  do  good, 
No,  not  even  one. 

4  Do  none  of  them  know, 

These  whose  works  are  so  vile? 
They  feed  on  my  people  as  they  feed  upon  bread ; 
Jehovah,  they  call  not  upon  Him. 

5  They  were  there  in  great  fear, 

Where  nought  had  been  feared  ; 
For  God  scatters  the  bones  of  those  that  besiege  thee ; 
Thou  hast  put  them  to  shame, 

Because  God  has  abhorred  them. 

6  OH  that  salvation  for  Israel 

Might  come  out  of  Zion  ; 

When  Jehovah  returns  to  His  people  in  bondage, 
Let  Jacob  rejoice,  let  Israel  be  glad. 


(2)  It  is  God  that     He  whose  prise.     This  verse  corresponds  with 

existence  they  deny  sits  above  them  Ps.  xiv.  5  only  in  the  first  line,  after 

as  judge.     The  position  of  Elohim  which  another  verse  is  there  added 

before  the  verb  is  emphatic.  Ps.xiv.  that  has  no  counterpart  here.     But 

has  here  "Jehovah." — Looks  forth,  here,  even  more  distinctly  than  there, 

Heb.  shdkaph.     See  note  on  xiv.  2  some  overwhelming  calamity  is  re- 

for  an  account  of  this  very  remarka-  f erred  to  which  cannot  be  identified 

ble  word.  historically. 

(5)  Where  nought  had  been  (6)  Returns  to  His  people  in 
feared.  These  impious  men  had  been  bondage.  See  note  on  xiv.  6. 
absolutely  confident  of  their  power  to  The  question  maybe  asked,  here 
maintain  themselves  against  all  op-  or  at  Ps.  xiv.,  whether  the  poet  is 
position.  Not  recognizing  the  power  speaking  of  the  race  at  large,  in  gen- 
of  God  to  sweep  away  every  combi-  eral  terms,  and  without  historic  con- 
nation  of  evil,  they  had  come  forward  nection,  or  has  in  mind  some  special 
in  perfect  fearlessness,  and  the  ruin  Divine  interposition  in  behalf  of  the 
that  befell  them  was  a  terrible  sur-  victims  of  oppression.  His  language 


THE    PSALMS. 


in  verses  2  and  3  seems  to  describe 
humanity,  as  such  and  everywhere, 
as  evil  and  not  good.  But  such  ab- 
solute ungodliness,  and  utter  aban- 
donment to  gross  moral  corruption 
as  his  words  indicate,  can  never  have 
been  universal.  There  was  always 
a  holy  seed,  a  people  of  God,  who 
worshipped  and  served  Him.  >  Even 
this  dark  picture  of  crime  is  lighted 
up  by  more  than  one  glimpse  of  an 
Israel  quite  distinct  from  the  infa- 
mous world  in  the  foreground.  The 
seventh  verse,  with  its  pointed  allu- 
sion to  time  and  place  in  the  adverb 
"  there,"  shows  clearly  that  the  writer 
had  before  him  a  manifestation  of 
peculiarly  atrocious  wickedness  on 
the  one  hand,  and  of  Divine  justice 
in  appropriate  severity  on  the  other. 


We  have  here  an  instance  of  judg- 
ment on  a  limited  scale  in  the  past, 
as  symbolizing  the  complete  and 
final  overthrow  of  evil  in  the  future. 
But  in  being  idealized  it  is  general- 
ized, and  brought  into  the  present, 
as  belonging  to  all  time,  an  object 
lesson  for  the  world.  This  is  the 
poet's  true  position  in  dramatic  re- 
presentation. The  historic  basis  is 
found,  if  possible  among  the  occur- 
rences of  his  own  lifetime.  Having 
chosen  this,  it  is  easy  to  recall  the 
past  most  vividly,  and  to  describe  it 
as  an  eye  witness  of  events  in  their 
succession.  David  had  a  large  store 
of  such  material,  accumulated  during 
the  hard  experiences  of  his  early  man- 
hood, and  giving  profitable  employ- 
ment to  his  serene  old  age. 


LIV. 


CONFIDENCE   IN  THE    PRESENCE   OF  MURDEROUS   ENEMIES. 

HERE,  as  in  lii.,  the  title  is  the  best  guide  to  the  occasion.     It  points 
to  the  account  given  in  i  Sam.  xxiii.  19-29,  and  xxvi.  i.    A  connec- 
tion with  the  preceding  Psalms  may  be  found  by  comparing  ver.  3  with 
liii.  2,  and  ver.  6  with  lii.  1 1. 

1.  Prayer  for  help  (1-3).     2.    Thankful  acknowledgment  of  the  answer  (4-7). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.  WITH  STRINGED  INSTRUMENTS.  A 
MASKIL  OF  DAVID,  WHEN  THE  ZIPHITES  CAME  TO  SAUL  AND  SAID, 
"DOTH  NOT  DAVID  HIDE  HIMSELF  WITH  US?" 

1  Save  me,  O  God,  by  Thy  Name, 
By  Thy  power  defend  me. 

2  Hearken,  O  God,  to  my  prayer, 
Give  ear  to  the  words  of  my  mouth ; 

3  For  aliens  are  risen  against  me, 
Oppressors  are  seeking  my  life, 

And  God  they  set  not  before  them. 

4  Behold  God  is  my  helper, 

The  Lord  has  upholden  my  life; 


PSALM    LV.  143 

5  He  requites  the  ill  deeds  of  my  foes  ; 
Blot  them  out  in  Thy  truth. 

6  I  bring  Thee  mine  offering,  a  gift  of  free  will; 
I  give  thanks  to  Thy  Name,  O  Jehovah, 

Because  it  is  gracious ; 

7  For  from  all  my  distress  it  has  freed  me ; 
Mine  eye  can  now  gaze  on  my  foes. 

(5)  In  Thy  truth.  This  refers  to  plies  looking  intently,  and  with  pleas- 
God's  faithful  promise  of  help  and  ure.  See  note  on  xxvii.  4.  In  xcii. 
deliverance  in  time  of  extreme  peril.  11  hearing  is  included  with  sight  in 
He  now  entreats  for  the  fulfilment  of  the  same  construction  and  sense.  So 
that  promise.  Is.  xi.  3,  lit.  "  He  shall  smell  in  the 

(7)  Can  now  gaze  on  my  foes,  fear  of  Jehovah  ; "  which  Delitzsch 

That  is,  without  fear,  or  even  with  happily  translates  :  "  The  fear  of  Je- 

joy.     The  verb  raah,  to  see,  when  Lovah  shall  be  fragrance  to  him." 
followed  by  the  preposition  beth^'im 


LV. 


PRESSED   BY  MALIGNANT  ENEMIES   AFTER   BETRAYAL   BY 
A  FALSE   FRIEND. 

A  COUNTERPART  to  Ps.  xli.,  which  refers  to  the  same  intrigue  and 
hatred  of  enemies,  and  to  the  same  treacherous  friend.  It  belongs 
to  the  time  just  before  David's  dethronement  by  the  partisans  of  Absalom 
under  the  crafty  lead  of  Ahithophel.  The  latter  is  undoubtedly  the  person 
whose  faithlessness  is  complained  of,  and  who  is  well  called  "the  Old  Testa- 
ment Judas."  See  2  Sam.  xv. 

1.  His  distress  described  (1-8}.  2.  The  condition  of  the  city,  and  special  exposure 
of  the  aggravated  perfidy  of  Ahithophel  (9-15).  3.  Refuge  sought  and  found  only  in 
God  (16-23).  Sorrow  prevails  in  the  first  part,  anger  in  the  second,  and  confidence 
in  the  third  (Delitzsch). 

FOR   THE   LEADER    OF    THE    CHOIR.      ON    STRINGED    INSTRUMENTS. 
A   MASKIL   OF    DAVID. 

1  Give  ear,  O  God,  to  my  prayer, 

And  hide  not  away  from  my  suppliant  cry; 

2  Oh  regard  me  and  answer ; 
While  I  pour  out  my  grief, 

I  sway  to  and  fro,  and  must  moan, 


144  THE   PSALMS. 

3  Because  of  the  enemy's  voice, 

Because  of  the  oppression  of  the  wicked  ; 
For  they  load  me  with  evil, 

And  fiercely  withstand  me. 

4  My  heart  is  in  anguish  within  me, 
The  terrors  of  death  overtake  me ; 

5  Fear  and  trembling  have  seized  me, 
And  horror  o'erwhelms  me. 

6  I  say,  Oh  had  I  wings  like  a  dove ! 
Then  away  would  I  fly  and  find  rest ; 

7  Surely  then  would  I  flutter  far  off, 
I  would  lodge  in  the  wilds ; 

8  I  would  haste  to  my  refuge 
From  storm-blast  and  tempest. 

9  Consume,  O  Jehovah,  confuse  Thou  their  speech ; 
For  outrage  and  strife  have  I  seen  in  the  city. 

10  Day  and  night  they  go  around  on  its  walls, 
And  within  it  are  evil  and  sorrow ; 

1 1  Yawning  gulfs  are  within  it, 

Oppression  and  fraud  never  leave  its  broad  street. 

12  (For  it  is  not  a  foe  that  reviles  me  — 

I  then  could  endure  it; 

Nor  mine  enemy  he  that  comes  proudly  against  me  — 
I  could  hide  myself  from  him  ; 

13  But  thou,  a  man  in  my  circle, 

My  companion  and  friend  ; 

14  In  fellowship  sweet  we  were  living, 

And  went  to  God's  house  with  the  festival  throng.) 

15  Let  death  fall  upon  them  unawares, 

In  full  life  may  they  sink  into  Sheol; 
For  the  ill  of  their  dwellings,  it  lodges  within  them. 

16  As  for  me,  I  will  call  upon  God, 

And  Jehovah  will  save  me. 

17  Evening,  morning,  and  noon,  do  I  moan  and  lament, 

And  He  heareth  my  voice. 


PSALM   LV.  145 

1 8  My  life  He  preserveth  in  safety 

That  they  cannot  come  nigh  me ; 
For  many  are  they  that  assail  me. 

19  God  will  hear  them  and  answer, 

He  that  sits  King  from  of  old, 
Even  these  that  are  changeless, 

And  without  fear  of  God.  [Selah.] 

20  He  puts  forth  his  hand  'gainst  his  friend, 

And  his  covenant  profanes ; 

21  His  mouth  is  smoother  than  butter, 

With  war  in  his  heart ; 
Soft  as  oil  are  his  words, 

But  are  swords  without  sheath. 

22  Cast  thy  burden  on  Jehovah, 

It  is  He  will  sustain  thee ; 
He  will  never  let  the  righteous  be  o'erthrown. 

23  But  Thou,  O  God,  into  the  abyss  wilt  Thou  cast  them, 

The  bloody  and  deceitful 

Shall  die  ere  the  midst  of  their  days ; 
But  I,  in  Thee  will  I  trust. 

(9)  Confuse  Thou  their  speech.  (13)  In  my  circle.     The  render- 

Heb.  divide  their  tongue.     Alluding  ings,  mine  equal,  of  my   rank,  of 

to  the  confusion  of  tongues  at  Babel ;  mine  order,  will  not  serve  here,  for 

Gen.  xi.  9.     The  tongue  being  the  they  imply  that  the  man  referred  to, 

means  of  conversation,  the  meaning  like   David,  was  royal.     The  word 

is,  break  up  their  intercourse,  sepa-  means  arrangement  or  estimation. 

rate  them  in  thought  and  purpose,  The  preceding  and  following  clauses 

and    so    frustrate    their    iniquitous  indicate  here  an  arrangement  of  men 

projects.  into  two  classes,  —  his  enemies,  and 

(i  i)  Yawning  gulfs.    See  note  on  his  friends.    This  man  had  belonged 

v.  9.  —  Its    broad    street.      Heb.  to  the  latter  class,  at  least  in  social 

r'hhobah,  a  broad place /  that  is,  the  intercourse  and  general  estimation, 

public  square,  or  market  place,  where  (15)  Lodges  within  them.    Heb. 

magistrates   sat   in    judgment,   men  Vqirbam,  is  within  them;  that  is,  in 

came  together  for  consultation  on  their  hearts.     See  v.  9,  and  note  on 

interests  in  common,  and  most  busi-  xlix.  n. 

ness  was  transacted.  It  was  usually  (19)  That  are  changeless;  refer- 
near  the  entrance  or  principal  gate  ring  to  the  pursuit  of  evil,  that  which 
of  the  city,  for  the  convenience  of  has  become  a  permanent  character- 
those  living  outside  the  walls ;  Neh.  istic  of  their  lives.  They  never  de- 
viii.  i,  2.  sist  from  it. 


I46  THE   PSALMS. 


LVI. 


THE  CHEERFUL  COURAGE  OF  A  FUGITIVE. 

HERE  again  the  title  is  a  sufficient  guide.  The  Psalm  is  connected 
with  the  seizure  of  David  by  the  Philistines,  and  his  presentation  to 
Achish,  the  king  of  Gath,  as  the  champion  of  Israel;  I  Sam.  xxi.  10-15. 
"  It  is  a  characteristic  possessed  in  common  by  the  Psalms  of  this  period, 
that  the  prospect  of  the  judgment  that  will  come  upon  the  whole  of  the 
hostile  world,  is  combined  with  David's  prospect  of  the  judgment  that  will 
come  upon  his  enemies  ;  vii.  8,  Iv.  8,  lix.  5."  —  Delitzsch. 

1.  The  malice  of  men,  and  the  faithfulness  of  God  (1-4.) .  2.  A  more  detailed  de- 
scription of  the  activity  of  his  enemies,  ending  in  imprecation  (5—7).  3.  Confidence 
in  God's  special  and  watchful  care,  ending  in  a  refrain  which  repeats  verses  3  and  4 
with  greater  emphasis  (8-11).  4"  Thanksgiving  and  hope  (12, 13). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.      SET  TO  "JONATH   'ELEM  REIIHOQIM." 
A  MICHTAM  OF  DAVID,  WHEN  THE  PHILISTINES  TOOK  HIM  IN  GATH. 

1  Pity  me,  O  God,  for  men  pant  for  my  life, 
All  the  day  long  they  fiercely  pursue  me ; 

2  Mine  enemies  pant  for  me  all  the  day  long, 
For  many  war  proudly  against  me. 

3  In  the  day  I  might  fear, 

With  trust  do  I  cleave  unto  Thee. 

4  In  God  (I  give  praise  for  His  word), 
In  God  do  I  trust,  and  am  fearless; 

What  can  flesh  do  to  harm  me? 

5  All  the  day  long  do  they  torture  my  words, 
All  their  thoughts  are  against  me  for  evil; 

6  They  gather  in  bands,  they  set  spies ; 

These  watch  at  my  heels,  for  they  seek  for  my  life. 

7  Shall  they  escape  for  the  evil  they  do  ? 

Cast  down  in  Thine  anger  the  heathen,  O  God. 

8  Thou  hast  numbered  my  wandering  steps, 

And  my  tears  hast  Thou  put  in  Thy  bottle  ; 
Are  they  not  noted  down  in  Thy  book? 


PSALM   LVII.  147 

9   In  the  day  that  I  call,  my  foes  shall  fall  back, 
This  I  know,  having  God  on  my  side. 

10  In  God  (I  give  praise  for  His  word), 

In  Jehovah  (I  give  praise  for  His  word), 

11  In  God  do  I  trust,  and  am  fearless ; 
What  can  man  do  to  harm  me  ? 

12  Thy  vows,  O  God,  are  upon  me; 

The  thankofferings  due,  I  now  pay  Thee ; 

13  For  my  soul  hast  Thou  rescued  from  death, 

And  my  feet  kept  from  stumbling, 
In  the  light  of  the  living  to  walk  before  God. 

(3)  With  trust  do  I  cleave  unto  peril,  than  a  thankful  reference  to 
Thee.    Heb.  unto  Thee  1 'trust.     Af-  His  faithful  promise  of  deliverance; 
ter  batahh,  to  trust,  the  prep.  W,  as  see  text  and  note  at  xii.  5,  6.     The 
elsewhere,  indicates  a  clinging  to  the  ejaculation  included  in  the  parenthe- 
object  of  trust.     In  verses  4,  n,  12  sis,  with  the  repetition  of  the  Name 
the   preposition  is  changed,  with  a  of  God  required  after  it,  gives  great 
change  in  the  form  of  the  verb  from  emphasis  to  the  avowal.     This  em- 
the  imperfect  tense,  expressing  pres-  phasis  is  greatly  increased  at  the  re- 
ent  active  emotion,  to  the  perfect,  of  currence  of  the  refrain  in  verses  10 
established  confidence,  growing  out  and  n,  by  a  repetition  of  the  ejacu- 
of  the  past.  lation  of    praise,  with   the    Divine 

(4)  In  God  (I  give  praise  for  His  Name  Jehovah,  and  followed  by  the 
word).     The  rendering  of  the  Eng-  exact  echo  of  the  closing  line  here, 
lish  Bible,  "  In  God  will  I  praise  His  "  In  God  do  I  trust,  and  am  fearless." 
word,"  is  unmeaning.     Such  a  com-  Immense  weight  and  power  are  thus 
bination  occurs  nowhere  else.     But  gained,  in  preparation  for  the  thank- 
nothing  is  more  natural,  in  connec-  ml  sentences  that  close  this  beauti- 
tion  with  an  avowal  of  fearless  trust  ful  hymn. 

in  God's  mercy  and  power  in  great 


LVII. 


A  CRY  FROM  THE  CAVE. 

THIS  Psalm  also  belongs  to  the  time  of  David's  persecution  by  Saul. 
The  cave  mentioned  is  more  probably  the  cave  of  Adullam  to  which 
he  made  escape  from  the  sharp  pursuit  of  Saul  (i  Sam.  xxii.),  than  the 
cave  in  the  wilderness  of  Engedi,  where  later  on  he  sojourned  for  a  time 
(i  Sam.  xxiv.).  There  are  various  resemblances  in  style  and  expression  in 
this  group  of  Psalms  that  indicate  the  same  time  and  authorship. 


148  THE   PSALMS. 

It  contains:  1.  Supplication  (1-5).  2.  Thanksgiving  (6-11).  Each  of  these 
principal  divisions  ends  with  a  refrain  (5, 11).  The  last  five  verses  occur  also  at  the 
beginning  of  Ps.  cviii. 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   "  AL-TASHHETH."   BY  DAVID,  WHEN 
HE  FLED  FROM  SAUL  IN  THE  CAVE. 

1  Show  me  pity,  O  Gpd,  show  me  pity, 

For  my  soul  takes  refuge  in  Thee ; 
In  Thy  shadowing  wings  I  take  refuge, 
Till  the'se  yawning  gulfs  pass  away. 

2  I  will  call  unto  God,  the  Most  High, 
Unto  God  who  in  all  things  befriends  me. 

3  He  will  send  forth  from  heaven,  and  will  save  me, 

From  revilers  that  fain  would  devour ;  [Selah.] 

God  will  send  forth  lovingkindness  and  truth. 

4  With  my  soul  amidst  lions, 

I  must  needs  lay  me  down  with  the  fiery,  — 
The  children  of  men,  their  teeth  spears  and  arrows, 
And  their  tongue  a  sharp  sword. 

5  Even  higher  than  the  heavens  be  exalted,  O  God, 
And  above  the  whole  earth  be  Thy  glory. 

6  They  made  ready  a  net  for  my  steps, " 

And  my  soul  was  bowed  down  ; 
They  opened  a  pitfall  before  me, 

Into  which  they  are  fallen  themselves.  [Selah.] 

7  And  now  steadfast,  O  God,  is  my  heart, 

Yea,  steadfast  my  heart ; 
I  will  sing,  and  make  melody  on  the  harp. 

8  Arouse  thee,  my  glory, 

Arouse,  lute  and  harp ; 
I  will  rouse  up  the  dawn. 

9  Midst  the  peoples  will  I  praise  Thee,  O  Lord, 
And  to  Thee  strike  the  harp  midst  the  nations ; 

10  For  Thy  great  lovingkindness  reaches  up  to  the  heavens, 
And  Thy  truth  to  the  clouds. 

1 1  Even  higher  than  the  heavens  be  exalted,  O  God, 
And  above  the  whole  earth  be  Thy  glory. 


PSALM   LVIII.  149 

LVIII. 

AN  OUTCRY  AGAINST  THOSE  WHO   PERVERT  JUSTICE. 

"  THHIS  Psalm  belongs  to  the  time  of  Absalom,  who  made  the  adminis- 
JL  tration  of  justice  a  means  of  stealing  from  David  the  hearts  of  the 
people.  The  incomparable  boldness  of  the  language  does  not  warrant  us 
to  deny  it  to  David.  In  no  Psalm  are  there  found  together  within  a  simi- 
lar brief  space  so  many  transcendent  figures.  To  a  certain  extent,  how- 
ever, Ps.  Ixiv.  and  cxl.  are  a  guarantee  that  David  speaks  here.  These 
three  Psalms,  whose  similar  closing  verses  of  themselves  challenge  com- 
parison, show  that  the  same  David  who  usually  writes  so  elegantly,  ten- 
derly, and  transparently,  can  soar  in  a  great  variety  of  transitions  to  a 
sublimity  in  which  his  language,  especially  where  it  implores  (Iviii.  7)  or 
announces  (cxl.  10)  God's  judgment,  rolls  on  like  deep  thunder  through  a 
gloomy  mass  of  dark  clouds."  —  Delitzsch* 

1.  An  address  to  unjust  judges  and  rulers  (1,2).  2.  Description  of  the  wicked 
then  dominant,  in  their  falsity,  malignancy,  and  obduracy  (8-5).  3.  The  judgment 
of  God  upon  them  (6-9).  4.  The  results  of  the  judicial  interposition  of  God  (10, 11). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.     AL-TASHHETH.     BY  DAVID.     A  MICHTAM, 

1  Are  ye  verily  dumb  that  should  speak  for  the  right, 
With  equity  judging  the  children  of  men? 

2  Yea  more,  ye  devise  base  deeds  in  your  hearts, 
And  weigh  out  in  the  earth 

The  violence  wrought  by  your  hands. 

3  Estranged  from  the  womb  are  the  wicked, 
From  birth  they  stray  off  speaking  lies ; 

4  They  have  poison  like  poison  of  serpents ; 
They  are  deaf  as  an  adder  that  closes  its  ears, 

5  That  hears  no  voice  of  enchanter, 

Of  a  charmer  that  charmeth  with  skill. 

6  O  God,  break  their  teeth  from  their  mouth, 
Crush  the  fangs  of  these  lions,  Jehovah ! 

7  Let  them  melt  away  like  the  running  of  water; 
When  one  bendeth  the  bow,  let  his  arrow  be  blunt; 

8  Let  them  be  like  the  snail  that  dissolves  as  it  goes, 
As  the  untimely  born  that  see  not  the  sun ; 


1 50  THE   PSALMS. 

9   As  thorns,  ere  your  pots  feel  the  heat, 
Whirled  away  by  the  tempest, 

The  green  and  the  burned  all  alike. 

10  Let  the  righteous  be  glad  having  vision  of  vengeance, 
In  the  blood  of  the  wicked  his  steps  shall  he  bathe. 

1 1  Men  shall  say, 

"  Of  a  truth  there  is  fruit  for  the  righteous, 
There  is  truly  a  God,  who  is  Judge  in  the  earth." 


LIX. 

THE  INNOCENT  MAN  IN  GREAT  DANGER. 

THIS  Psalm  seems  to  belong  to  the  period  in  the  pursuit  by  Saul  de- 
scribed in  i  Sam.  xix.  1 1  ff .  There  is  no  reason  to  limit  it  to  the  sin- 
gle night  in  which  Michal  aided  his  escape.  There  may  have  been  several 
preceding  nights  in  which  his  house  was  closely  beleaguered.  "  Consider- 
ing that  the  description  of  the  ongoings  of  his  foes  by  night  is  repeated  in 
a  refrain  verse,  and  that  in  v.  17  the  poet  sets  his  believing  and  joyous 
anticipations  with  regard  to  the  coming  morning  over  against  the  vain 
eagerness  with  which  these  patrols  spend  the  night.  Ps.  lix.  seems  to  be 
an  evening  song  originating  in  those  perilous  days  that  he  lived  through  in 
Gibeah." 

There  are  two  principal  parts  (1-9,  10-17),  each  subdivided  into  two.  1.  Prayer 
for  help',  the  movements  of  the  enemy ;  judicial  interposition  invoked  (1-5). 
2.  Further  description  of  the  enemy  and  confidence  in  God  (6-9).  S.  Fear  has  passed 
away,  hope  prevails,  and  God  is  invoked  to  maintain  His  sure  rule  over  Israel  and 
the  whole  earth  (10-13).  4"  With  the  same  beginning  as  at  verse  6,  the  enemy  is 
described ;  but  now  in  their  unsatisfied  hunger,  in  contrast  with  his  own  deliverance 
and  abundant  joy  (14--17). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.  AL-TASHHETH.  BY  DAVID.  A  MICHTAM, 
WHEtf  SAUL  SENT  AND  THEY  WATCHED  THE  HOUSE  TO  PUT  HIM  TO 
DEATH. 

1  Set  me  free  from  my  foes,  O  my  God ; 
Make  me  safe  from  those  that  assail  me : 

2  Set  me  free  from  those  busied  in  crime, 
Oh,  save  me  from  bloodthirsty  men. 

3  For  lo,  on  the  watch  for  my  life, 

The  fierce  band  together  against  me ; 
Yet  not  for  my  fault,  O  Jehovah,  and  not  for  my  sin. 


PSALM   LIX.  151 

4  Without  guilt  of  mine,  they  run  and  prepare ; 
O  arouse  Thee  to  meet  me,  and  see : 

5  And  do  Thou,  O  Jehovah  of  Hosts,  God  of  Israel, 
Bestir  Thee  to  visit  all  heathen, 

Do  not  spare  all  iniquitous  traitors. 

6  They  return  at  evening,  and  snarling  like  dogs, 
Go  the  rounds  of  the  city; 

7  Lo,  they  foam  at  the  mouth, 

On  their  lips  there  are  swords, 
For  they  say,  "  Who  can  hear  us?  " 

8  But  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  wilt  deride  them, 
Thou  wilt  hold  all  the  heathen  in  scorn. 

9  In  Thee  I  have  hope,  O  my  Strength  ; 
For  God  is  my  fortress  of  safety. 

10  My  God  in  His  kindness  will  meet  me, 

God  will  give  me  to  see  the  defeat  of  my  foes. 

11  Let  them  live,  lest  my  people  forget; 

But  our  God  and  our  Shield, 
Disperse  by  Thy  power  and  subdue  them. 

12  For  the  sin  of  their  mouth  for  the  words  of  their  lips, 

Be  they  snared  in  their  pride,  — 
For  their  cursing  and  lies  that  they  speak. 

13  Consume  them  in  wrath, — yea,  consume  out  of  life  ; 
Let  them  know  that  the  God  who  is  Ruler  in  Jacob, 

Bears  rule  to  the  bounds  of  the  earth. 

14  They  return  at  the  evening,  and  snarling  like  dogs, 

Go  the  rounds  of  the  city; 

15  They  wander  up  and  down  to  devour, 

And  with  nothing  to  fill  them  are  spending  tfre  night. 

16  But  I,  of  Thy  power  will  I  sing, 

And  of  Thy  lovingkindness  will  sing  at  the  dawn ; 
For  Thou  art  become  my  safe  tower, 
A  retreat  in  my  day  of  distress. 

17  Unto  Thee,  O  my  Strength, 

I  bring  music  of  harps; 
For  God,  my  safe  tower, 

Is  the  God  that  has  loved  me. 


152  THE   PSALMS. 

LX. 

AFTER  A  LOST  BATTLE. 

THIS  Psalm  seems  to  be  founded  upon  a  defeat  of  the  Israelites  by  the 
Edomites  during  the  Syro-Ammonitish  war.     The  lamentation  with 
which  it  begins  refers  to  the  laying  waste  of  the  land  by  the  Edomites 
before  the  victories  recorded  in  2  Sam.  viii.  and  I  Chron.  xviii. 

1.  Prayer  for  Divine  help  in  great  national  distress  (1-5).  2.  The  appropriation 
of  a  Divine  oracle  promising  victory  (6-8).  3.  Renewed  supplication,  but  with  confi- 
dence in  God  (9-12). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.  SET  TO  SHUSHAN-EDUTH.  A  MICH- 
TAM  OF  DAVID  :  WHEN  HE  FOUGHT  WITH  ARAM  OF  THE  TWO  RIVERS, 
AND  ARAM  OF  ZEBAH  ;  AND  JOAB  RETURNED,  AND  SMOTE  IN  THE 
VALLEY  OF  ABIMELECH  TWELVE  THOUSAND  MEN. 

1  O  God,  Thou  hast  spurned  and  dispersed  us ; 
Thou  wert  sore  displeased,  but  restore  us  again. 

2  Thou  hast  shaken  the  land,  and  rent  it  asunder; 
Its  breaches  rebuild,  for  it  totters. 

3  Thou  afflictest  Thy  people  with  hardship, 
The  wine  of  reeling  Thou  makest  us  drink: 

4  To  Thy  servants  Thou  gavest  a  banner, 

That  now  they  may  flee  from  the  bow !  [Selah.] 

5  To  deliver  Thy  beloved, 

Let  Thy  right  hand  save  us,  and  answer  our  prayer. 

6  It  is  God  in  His  holiness  who  promised, 

I  therefore  will  triumph ; 
I  will  portion  out  Shechem, 

And  distribute  the  valley  of  Succoth. 

7  Gilead  is  mine,  and  mine  is  Manasseh, 

With  Ephraim  the  shield  of  my  head, 
And  Judah  my  sceptre  of  rule. 

8  My  washpot  is  Moab, 

I  cast  off  my  shoe  upon  Edom ; 
Over  me,  O  Philistia,  shout  aloud. 


PSALM   LXI. 


153 


9  Who  to  the  fortified  city  will  bring  me, 
Who  can  conduct  me  to  Edom? 

10  O  God,  hast  Thou  not  cast  us  off, 

And  no  longer,  O  God,  goest  forth  with  our  hosts? 

11  Oh  give  us  Thy  help  from  the  oppressor, 
For  vain  is  deliverance  by  man. 

12  Through  God  we  shall  conquer; 

It  is  He  that  shall  stamp  on  our  foes. 


(5-7)  Shechem,  Succoth,  Gil- 
ead,  Manasseh,  Ephraim,  Judali. 
The  Divine  oracle  promising  victory 
confirmed  David  in  the  possession 
of  the  whole  of  Canaan,  in  accord- 
ance with  its  original  geographical 
distribution.  Shechem  represents 
the  east,  and  Succoth  the  west  side 
of  the  Jordan.  Gilead  was  the  por- 
tion of  the  tribes  of  Reuben  and  Gad, 
and  so  in  conjunction  with  a  part  of 
the  tribe  of  Manasseh  covered  the 
territory  first  reached  after  the  jour- 
ney through  the  wilderness,  while 
Ephraim  and  Judah  were  the  princi- 
pal tribes  between  the  river  and  the 
sea. — My  sceptre.  Heb.  m'khoqeq. 
An  allusion  to  the  promise  of  royal 
dignity  to  Judah  in  Gen.  xlix.  10, 
where  the  same  word  is  used.  It  is 
not  the  "lawgiver,"  the  person  in- 


vested with  supreme  authority,  but 
his  staff,  or  sceptre  as  its  symbol. 
So  Rev.  Old  Test,  in  both  places. 

(8)  Moab,  Edom,  Fhilistia.  These 
were  the  earliest  enemies  of  Israel  on 
the  east  and  south.  — My  washpot. 
He  who  aspired  to  the  mastery  shall 
be  a  servant  of  the  lowest  grade ; 
comp.  Is.  xxv.  10.  —  Cast  off  my 
shoe.  In  the  eastern  world  casting 
the  shoe  on  a  piece  of  land  was  an 
assertion  of  absolute  ownership.  — 
Shout  aloud.  This  must  here  mean 
a  scream  of  terror  and  pain.  Hup- 
feld  adopts  a  change  in  the  pointing 
of  the  word,  conforming  to  the  recen- 
sion of  this  verse  in  cviii.  9,  and  ren- 
ders it,  "  over  Philistia  is  my  exulta- 
tion," a  reading  that  has  much  in  its 
favour.  So  Cheyne. 


LXI. 


AN  EXILED   KING   RETURNS  TO   HIS  THRONE. 


HP  HE  general  tenor  of  this  Psalm  indicates  that  it  belongs  to  the  period 
-L  of  David's  flight  from  Absalom.  But  the  danger  is  now  past.  The 
royal  army  has  smitten  the  rebels  in  the  forest  of  Ephraim  (2  Sam.  xviii. 
6-8),  and  the  king  has  his  face  toward  Jerusalem.  The  king  referred  to 
in  verses  6  and  7  is  evidently  himself.  He  probably  uses  the  third  person 
because  his  thought  embraces  the  royal  line  that  God  had  promised  should 
descend  from  him,  and  rule  in  righteousness  forever.  Under  this  aspect 
the  Psalm  is  Messianic. 

There  are  two  strophes,  each  containing  four  verses  : 


154 


THE   PSALMS. 


1.  Confident  supplication  for  continued  Divine  favour  (1-4).    2.  Acknowledgment 
of  prayers  already  answered,  as  a  ground  of  hope  for  all  the  future  (5-8). 

TO   THE  LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.        ON   A   STRINGED   INSTRUMENT. 

BY  DAVID. 

1  O  God,  hear  my  cry, 
Attend  to  my  prayer. 

2  From  the  bounds  of  the  earth  unto  Thee  do  I  call, 

When  my  heart  is  o'erwhelmed ; 
Lead  me  up  on  the  rock  too  high  for  my  climbing. 

3  For  Thou  art  my  refuge, 

A  tower  of  strength  away  from  the  foe. 

4  In  Thy  tent  give  me  welcome  forever, 

In  Thy  sheltering  wings  let  me  hide.  [Selah.] 

5  For  Thou,  O  God,  hast  heeded  my  vows, 

And  hast  given  me  share  with  those  fearing  Thy  Name. 

6  Thou  wilt  add  further  days  to  the  days  of  the  king, 
And  his  years  wilt  for  ages  continue ; 

7  Forever  enthroned  before  God, 

Lovingkindness  and  truth  be  Thy  gifts  to  preserve  him. 

8  Thus  the  harp  will  I  sound  to  Thy  Name  evermore, 
That  I  daily  may  pay  Thee  my  vows. 

(2)  From  the  bounds  of  the  protection  and  gracious  entertain- 

earth.  In  his  separation  from  the  ment.  In  ordinary  life  both  verb 

privileges  of  the  sanctuary,  the  ex-  and  noun  are  used  with  reference  to 

treme  borders  of  the  land  seemed  to  one  who  takes  up  his  abode  in  a  for- 

him  at  an  immeasurable  distance  eign  land,  and  does  not  possess  or 

from  Zion,  the  home  of  his  heart,  acquire  the  rights  of  a  native.  The 

Delitzsch  remarks  that  from  the  ger  was  a  "  stranger,"  not  a  native, 

earliest  times  the  country  east  of  the  nor  possessed  of  the  full  rights  of 

Jordan  was  distinguished  from  Ca-  citizenship,  yet  under  certain  legal 

naan,  and  regarded  to  a  certain  ex-  obligations,  and  by  the  Divine  stat- 

tent  a  foreign  country.  See  Num.  ute  entitled  to  be  treated  with  kind- 

xxxiii.  32.  ness,  as  guests  from  abroad.  See 

(4)  Give  me  welcome  forever.  Lev.  xix.  33,  34,  where  this  word  is 

Heb.  'agurah  ''dldmlm.  The  verb  used.  Hence  in  the  Psalms  the  verb, 

gur  lies  at  the  basis  of  ger,  a  guest,  as  well  as  noun,  describes  those  who 

and  carries  with  it  the  same  mean-  are  welcomed  to  the  house  of  Jeho- 

ing.  See  v.  4,  xv.  I.  It  implies  vah,  and  live  under  His  special  care. 


PSALM   LXII.  155 


LXII. 

THERE  are  decided  marks  of  relation  between  this  Psalm  and  xxxix. 
which  indicate  that  David  wrote  it,  and  that  it  relates  to  the  times  of 
Absalom. 

1.  He  declares  his  strong  confidence  in  God,  and  expostulates  with  his  oppressors 
(1-4)-  &•  Continued  expression  of  confidence  in  God  as  his  strong  refuge  (5-8). 
3.  The  "worthkssness  of  man,  contrasted  with  the  power  and  goodness  of  God  (9-12). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.      UPON  JEDUTHUN.      A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  Only  be  silent  toward  God,  O  my  soul, 
For  from  Him  my  salvation  shall  come. 

2  Only  He  is  my  rock  and  salvation, 

Having  him  my  defence  I  can  ne'er  be  o'erthrown. 

3  How  long  ye  all  rush  on  a  man  to  destroy  him, 
Like  a  leaning  wall,  like  a  tottering  fence ! 

4  They  only  consult  from  high  station  to  thrust  him, 

Having  pleasure  in  falsehood ; 
In  each  mouth  there  is  blessing, 
But  they  inwardly  curse. 

5  Only  be  silent  toward  God,  O  my  soul, 
For  from  Him  what  I  hope  for  will  come ; 

6  Only  He  is  my  rock  and  salvation ; 
Having  Him  my  defence  I  cannot  be  shaken. 

7  In  God  have  I  safety  and  glory, 

For  God  is  my  fortified  rock  and  my  refuge. 

8  Confide  in  Him  alway  ye  people, 

Pour  your  heart  out  before  Him ; 
We  have  God  as  our  refuge.  [Selah.] 

9  Only  a  breath  are  the  low-born,  and  nobles  a  falsehood, 
They  go  up  in  the  balance,  they  all  are  of  breath ; 

10  Put  no  trust  in  oppression,  and  boast  not  of  spoil, 
If  wealth  should  spring  up  do  not  heed  it. 

1 1  This  one  thing  God  spake,  these  two  have  I  heard : 
That  power  belongs  unto  God, 


1 56  THE   PSALMS. 

12    And  to  Thee  lovingkindness,  O  Lord; 

For  Thou  givest  to  each  the  reward  of  his  work. 

(2)  Can    ne'er    be    o'erthrown.  their  hearts  are  full  of  venom.     See 

Heb.  cannot  be  greatly  shaken.    See  v.  9  and  Iv.  21,  relating  to  the  same 

note   upon  xxi.  8.     The  verb  mfit  period. 

standing  alone  may  describe  a  com-         (9)  The  low-born  and   nobles, 

plete  overthrow.     In  ver.  6,  which  is  The  Hebrew  words  are  Jts&,  a  man, 

a  repetition  of  this  verse,  the  adverb  individual,  and  ''adam,  man,  generic, 

"greatly"  (Heb.  me'od)  is  omitted.  When  thus   occurring  together  the 

This  implies  a  difference  in  thought :  former  is  one  entitled  to  special  con- 

"  I  cannot  be  shaken ; "  that  is,  not  sideration,  a  man  of  rank,  and  the 

at  all.  latter  one  of  the  mass,  a  common 

(4)  They  only  consult,  etc.   This  man.     So  in  xlix.  2  ;  Is.  ii.  9,  v.  15. 
exhibits  their  profession,  as  distin-        (10)  Do  not  heed  it.     Heb.  set 

guished  from  their  deadly  purpose,  not  the  heart,  or  more  properly,  the 

Their  words  are  smooth,  plausible,  mind;  for  in  this    Hebrew  phrase 

even  complimentary.     They  only  de-  the  reference  is  not  to  the  affections, 

sire  a  change  in  administration,  and  but  to  the  thoughts ;  i  Sam.  iv.  20; 

would  not  harm  the  good  man.    But  Prov.  xxiv.  32;  Job  ii.  3. 


LXIII. 

A  MORNING  SONG  FROM  THE  DESERT. 

THE  contents  of  this  Psalm  fully  verify  its  title.  Like  Ixi.  and  Ixii.  it 
belongs  to  the  time  of  Absalom's  rebellion.  More  specifically  it  is 
connected  with  the  sufferings  of  David  and  his  followers  while  he  tarried 
near  the  fords  of  the  wilderness  (2  Sam.  xv.  23,  28),  in  the  region  lying 
between  the  plain  of  Jericho  and  the  northern  shore  of  the  Dead  Sea. 
This  is  described  as  barren  and  desolate  in  the  extreme.  While  here  the 
band  of  exiles  endured  weariness  and  thirst;  2  Sam.  xvi.  2,  comp.  xiv.  15, 
28,  xvii.  19.  In  connection  with  verse  2,  Delitzsch  quotes  Furrer's  article 
Wuste  in  Schenkel's  Bibel  Lexikon  :  "  Not  a  strip  of  grass  refreshes  the 
eye  here  upon  the  wide  plain,  not  a  brook  ripples,  except  during  the  rainy 
season."  The  title  is  in  accordance  with  the  direction  which  the  historian 
relates  that  David's  flight  took.  "  It  throws  light  upon  the  whole  Psalm 
and  is  verified  by  it.  The  poet  is  a  king.  He  longs  for  God  in  Zion, 
where  he  has  so  gladly  beheld  Him  who  is  there  revealed.  He  is  perse- 
cuted by  enemies,  who  have  aimed  at  his  destruction.  The  assertion  that 
he  finds  himself  in  the  wilderness  is  no  mere  figure  of  speech ;  and  when 
he  anticipates  for  his  enemies  that  they  shall  become  'a  portion  for  jackals' 
(ver.  n),  we  can  easily  discern  the  impression  that  the  wilderness  has  had 
upon  the  shape  taken  by  his  thoughts." 


PSALM   LXIII.  157 

There  are  three  principal  parts:  1.  Thirsting  for  God  (l-£).    2.  Satisfaction  in 
God  (5-8).    3.  A  contrast  between  the  rebels  and  their  banished  king  (9-11). 

A   PSALM   OF  DAVID,   WHEN   HE  WAS  IN  THE  WILDERNESS   OF  JUDAH. 

1  O  God,  Thou  art  my  God ;   I  earnestly  seek  Thee ; 
For  Thee  my  soul  longs,  for  Thee  my  flesh  pines, 

In  a  desert  land  without  water,  and  faint. 

2  Even  so,  in  the  sanctuary  intently  I  looked, 
To  behold  Thy  power  and  Thy  glory. 

3  For  Thy  lovingkindness  is  better  than  life, 
And  therefore  my  lips  shall  extol  Thee ; 

4  Even  thus  while  I  live  will  I  bless  Thee, 
And  lift  up  my  hands  in  Thy  Name. 

5  My  soul  shall  be  filled  as  with  marrow  and  fatness, 
And  my  mouth  shall  praise  Thee  with  lips  full  of  joy; 

6  When  I  call  Thee  to  mind  on  my  bed, 

Through  the  watches  of  night,  my  thoughts  are  of  Thee. 

7  For  Thou  earnest  to  help  me, 

In  the  shade  of  Thy  wings  I  joyfully  shout ; 

8  My  soul,  while  pursuing,  cleaves  closely  to  Thee, 
And  Thy  right  hand  upholds  me. 

9  But  they,  to  their  ruin,  while  seeking  my  life, 
Shall  enter  the  depths  of  the  earth ; 

10  Given  up  to  the  power  of  the  sword, 

And  a  portion  for  jackals. 

1 1  And  the  king  shall  be  joyful  in  God ; 

Let  every  one  glory  that  sweareth  by  Him, 

But  the  mouth  that  speaks  lies  shall  be  stopped. 

(8)  Heb.  my  soul  cleaves  (adheres)  the  solemnity  of  an  oath,  —  in  con- 

after  Thee.  trast  with  the  malignant  falsehood 

(11)  That  sweareth  by  Him;  so  justly  denounced  in  the  closing 

that  is,  by  Jehovah.  Every  word  of  words  of  this  Psalm,  and  described 

the  persons  referred  to  is  in  sacred  with  graphic  power  in  the  Psalm 

adherence  to  truth,  as  if  attested  by  that  follows. 


158  THE   PSALMS. 


LXIV. 

PROTECTION  FROM  THE  WICKED. 

T^HERE  are  no  special  features  that  connect  this  Psalm  with  either  of 
A      the  two  great  periods  of  suffering  in  the  life  of  David. 

1.  Prayer  for  deliverance  from  the  malicious  (1-4)-    2-   Their  crafty  devices  are 
described  (5,6).    3.  God's  judgment  upon  them  (7-10). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  O  God,  hear  my  voice,  as  I  tell  of  my  grief, 
Guard  my  life  from  the  fear  of  the  foe ; 

2  From  the  league  of  the  wicked  conceal  me, 
From  the  fellowship  banded  in  wrong; 

3  Who  sharpen  their  tongue  like  a  sword ; 
Who  level  their  arrows,  their  slanderous  words, 

4  From  their  hiding  to  shoot  at  the  upright; 
They  suddenly  shoot  and  are  fearless. 

5  They  strengthen  their  purpose  of  evil, 

By  speaking  of  snares  they  have  hid ; 
"  Who  can  see  them?  "  they  say: 

6  They  devise  schemes  of  wrong ; 

"We  are  ready  with  plans  well  conceived :" 
Deep  is  all  that  is  in  them,  every  one, 
And  deep  is  his  heart. 

7  But  God  thrusts  them  through ; 

With  an  arrow  they  are  suddenly  wounded, 

8  And  they  fall;  their  own  tongue  wrought  their  ruin; 
All  that  see  shake  the  head  with  exulting. 

9  Yea,  all  men  shall  fear, 

And  shall  tell  of  God's  doing: 

His  work  they  will  wisely  consider. 
10   Let  the  righteous  be  glad  in  Jehovah, 

And  take  refuge  in  Him; 
The  upright  in  heart,  let  them  all  give  Him  glory. 


PSALM   LXV.  159 


LXV. 

A  HARVEST  SONG. 

IT  is  difficult  to  decide  whether  this  Psalm  has  reference  to  an  approach- 
ing harvest,  or  to  one  just  past.  Probably  to  the  latter,  and  the  vow 
mentioned  in  ver.  i  is  a  special  thanksgiving  for  the  wealth  of  gracious 
provision  with  which  the  land  was  then  teeming,  as  described  in  the  last 
strophe.  The  early  and  the  latter  rain  are  principally  before  the  poet's 
mind,  preceded  by  a  grand  and  beautiful  reference  to  the  power  of  God  as 
variously  manifested  in  nature  and  in  the  affairs  of  men. 

1.  Thankful  recognition  of  God's  grace  in  the  sanctuary,  especially  in  accepting 
worship  and  pardoning  sin  (1-4)  •  2.  Praise  to  God  for  His  power  and  goodness  in 
nature  and  history  (5-8).  3.  Praise  for  abundant  rain  in  preparation  for  harvest 
(9,  10).  £.  Thankful  description  of  the  earth  as  laden  with  abundant  increase 
(12, 13). 

FOR  THE  LEADER   OF  THE   CHOIR.      A   PSALM   OF   DAVID.      A   SONG. 

1  Loud  praise  to  Thee,  O  God,  breaks  the  stillness  of  Zion, 
As  to  Thee  our  vow  we  perform. 

2  O  Thou  Hearer  of  prayer, 

Unto  Thee  all  mortals  shall  come. 

3  The  guilt  charged  against  me,  I  cannot  withstand, 
But  our  sins  Thou  Thyself  wilt  absolve. 

4  How  blest  is  the  man  Thou  wilt  choose  and  bring  near, 

To  dwell  in  Thy  courts ; 

May  we  enjoy  to  the  full  the  good  of  Thy  house, 
Of  Thy  palace  most  holy. 

5  With  terrible  deeds,  our  God  of  salvation, 

Dost  Thou  righteously  answer  our  prayer; 
In  Thee  put  their  trust  all  the  bounds  of  the  earth, 
And  the  sea  afar  off; 

6  Who  by  strength  holdest  firmly  the  mountains, 
Being  girded  with  power; 

7  Who  stillest  the  noise  of  the  seas, 

The  roar  of  their  billows, 
And  the  tumult  of  nations. 


X6o  THE   PSALMS. 

8  They  that  dwell  at  the  uttermost  bounds, 

Stand  in  awe  at  thy  tokens ; 
The  lands  of  the  morning  and  evening  sun, 
To  glad  shouts  Thou  inspirest. 

9  Thou  hast  come  to  the  land,  and  hast  made  it  o'erflow,  and 

its  wealth  to  increase,  — 
Full  of  water  are  the  cisterns  of  God ; 
Thou  providest  their  grain  from  the  ground  thus  prepared ; 
10   Its  furrows  Thou  drenchest, 

Dost  level  its  ridges, 
With  showers  dost  soften, 
Its  sprouting  dost  bless. 

I  E    Thou  crownest  the  year  with  Thy  goodness ; 
Thy  footsteps  are  dropping  with  riches : 

12  They  drop  on  the  grass  in  the  wilds, 
And  the  hills  are  all  girdled  with  joy ; 

13  The  meadows  have  clothing  of  flocks, 

And  the  valleys  are  mantled  with  grain ; 
They  are  shouting  for  joy ;  yea,  they  sing. 

(i)  Loud  praise  to  Thee,  O  God,  feld  and  others,  quoting  Ps.  xxxix.  9, 

breaks  the  stillness  of  Zion.   Heb.  "  I  am  dumb,  I  open  not  my  mouth, 

rka  |  dnmiyah  \  tehillah  \  'Elohim\  because  Thou  didst  it."     But  this 

Vtsfyon;  to-Thee  \  stillness \  a-song-  is  a  song  of  joyful  thanksgiving  for 

of-praise  \  O-God  \  in-Zion.    All  au-  great  prosperity,  and   the  vow  the 

thorities    agree    that    the    meaning  singers  are  performing  is  that  bring- 

"  waiteth  "  of  the  English  Bible  can-  ing  an  offering  from  the  fruits  of  the 

not  legitimately  be  extracted  from  earth  with  loud  and  cheerful  praise, 

the   second  of  these  words.      The  It  would  be  possible  to  understand 

Septuagint,  on  the  basis  of  a  differ-  here  the  sudden  burst  of  song  with 

ent  vowel-pointing  that  connects  it  instrumental  accompaniment  in  the 

with  the  root  damah,  to  be  like,  gives  place  where  up  to  that  moment  pro- 

for  it  TrptTrfi,   it  is  suitable.     This  found  silence  had  reigned,  as  if  the 

Cheyne  adopts  :  "  Meet  for  Thee,  O  very  silence  could  no  longer  contain 

God,"  etc.     The  rendering  stillness  itself,  and  breaks  out  in  loud  praise. 

is  praise  to  Thee  in  Zion  makes  a  It  is  better  to  regard  the  stillness  as 

complete  sentence,  but  does  not  yield  simply  descriptive  of  the  usual  quiet 

a  thought  in  harmony  with  the  scope  of  Zion,  except  when  interrupted  as 

of  the  Psalm,  nor  even  with  the  im-  now  by  the  coming  of  worshippers, 
mediate    context.     For   "  stillness  "         (2)  All  mortals.    Heb.  all  flesh; 

can  only  mean  submission  and   pa-  men  as  earthly  and  perishable.    The 

tience  under  suffering  expressed  by  line  seems  to  express  confidence  that 

silence.     This  is  the  view  of  Hup-  the  time  will  come  when  all  men  will 


PSALM   LXVI. 


161 


look  in  their  need  to  the  Hearer  of 
prayer  for  comfort  and  help;  but 
the  form  may  be  understood  as  po- 
tential, recognizing  thankfully  the 
grace  of  God  in  admitting  mortals 
into  His  presence;  "  unto  Thee  all 
mortals  may  come." 

(3)  The 'guilt  charged  against 
me.  Lit.  'words  (or  matters)  of  guilt- 
inesses, the  plural  referring  to  the 
many  sins  that  must  separate  men 
from  God,  if  not  forgiven. 

(8)  At  Thy  tokens.  The  mani- 
festations of  Divine  power  in  the 
course  and  order  of  nature  before 
which  men  tremble,  yet  fill  them  with 
confidence  and  joy.  —  The  lands 
of  the  morning  and  evening  sun. 
Heb.  mutsaoth,  the  places  of  outgo- 
ing of  the  morning  and  evening. 
The  term  evidently  refers  to  the  sun 
as  going  forth,  which  is  the  Hebrew 
equivalent  for  rising  in  idiomatic 
English,  but  leaves  to  be  supplied 
before  the  word  "  evening  "  the  com- 
ing in,  or  setting.  For  the  former 
see  Gen.  xix.  23  ;  Ps.  xix.  5  ;  for  the 
latter,  Gen.  xv.  12;  Ps.  civ.  19.  The 
line  refers  to  the  extreme  east  and 
west,  the  regions  on  which  the  first 
and  last  rays  of  the  sun  rest  in  his 
full  circuit  from  horizon  to  horizon. 


(9)  The  cistern>  Properly  a 
trench  for  conducting  water  from  a 
reservoir,  for  irrigating  the  soil.  See 
note  on  i.  3.  It  stands  here  by  me- 
tonymy for  the  whole  system  of  irri- 
gation' in  nature  by  means  of  the 
clouds,  as  wafted  by  the  wind,  and 
pouring  out  their  treasures  upon  the 
thirsty  earth.  God  is  represented  in 
this  and  the  following  verses  as  ac- 
tively engaged  in  tilling  the  soil  for 
the  sustenance  of  His  great  family. 
In  this  the  supply  of  water  is  the  first 
consideration,  and  the  clouds  are 
mentioned  here  by  a  term  familiar  in 
oriental  cultivation.  A  similar  term 
is  found  in  2  Kings  xviii.  17,  and  Is. 
vii.  3 :  "  the  conduit  of  the  upper 
pool."  See  the  mention  in  2  Kings 
xx.  20  of  the  "conduit"  and  "pool," 
as  made  by  Hezekiah.  But  the  con- 
duit in  these  places,  from  its  etymol- 
ogy, is  the  pipe  by  which  the  water  is 
lifted  from  the  stream  to  the  reser- 
voir, whereas  ptteg,  used  here,  is  the 
trench  or  channel  by  which  it  is  con- 
veyed to  the  gardens  and  fields.  The 
whole  conception  of  a  most  success- 
ful process  of  agriculture  on  a  vast 
scale,  carried  on  methodically  by  the 
wisdom  and  power  of  God,  is  very 
grand. 


LXVI. 


NATIONAL  AND   PERSONAL  DELIVERANCE    COMMEMORATED. 


are  no  certain  indications  of  the  authorship  or  historic  refer- 
ence  of  this  Psalm  or  the  one  that  follows  it.  < 

There  are  two  principal  parts,  ver.  1-12  relating  to  national  history,  13-20  to  per- 
sonal experience. 

In  the  former :  1.  All  the  earth  is  called  upon  to  praise  God  (1-4).  2.  The  mighty 
deeds  of  God  in  the  deliverance  of  the  infant  nation  from  Egypt  are  recounted  (5-7). 
3.  A  more  recent  deliverance  from  suffering  and  danger  is  thankfully  acknowledged 
(8-12). 

In  the  latter  part,  the  poet  speaks  of  his  personal  obligations :  1.  He  resolves  to 
bring  to  the  house  of  God  the  sacrifices  he  had  promised  in  his  vows  (13-15).  2,  He 
acknowledges  publicly  God's  goodness  in  answering  his  prayer  (16-20), 

II 


1 62  THE   PSALMS. 

FOR  THE   LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      A    SONG.      A  PSALM. 

1  Shout  for  joy  unto  God,  all  the  earth ; 

2  Strike  the  harp  to  His  glorious  Name, 
Give  Him  glory  in  songs  to  His  praise; 

3  Say  unto  God,  "  How  fearful  Thy  deeds ! 
In  the  might  of  Thy  strength, 

Thy  foes  come  cringing  before  Thee. 

4  Let  all  earth  strike  the  harp  and  bow  down,  — 

Strike  the  harp  to  Thy  Name." 

5  Come  and  see  what  God  has  accomplished, 
How  fearful  His  deeds  to  the  children  of  men ; 

6  Before  Him  the  sea  became  land ; 

We  passed  through  the  river  on  foot, 
And  rejoiced  in  Him  there. 

7  In  His  might  He  forever  bears  rule, 

His  eyes  keep  close  watch* on  the  nations; 
Let  rebels  lay  aside  their  proud  bearing. 

8  Bless  our  God,  O  ye  peoples, 

Let  your  voices  be  heard  in  His  praise; 

9  For  our  soul  He  preserveth  in  life, 
And  our  feet  doth  not  suffer  to  stumble. 

10  For,  O  God,  Thou  hast  proved  us, 
Thou  hast  tried  us  as  silver  is  tried ; 

11  Into  the  hunter's  toils  didst  Thou  bring  us, 

And  heavy  the  burdens  Thou  laid'st  on  our  loins. 

12  Thou  mad'st  mortals  to  ride  o'er  our  heads; 
Through  fire  and  through  water  did  we  go, 

Yet  Thou  broughtest  us  forth, 
And  our  blessings  abound. 

13  I  enter  Thy  house  with  burnt  offerings; 

I  pay  Thee  my  vows, 

14  Which  my  lips  have  pronounced, 
And  my  mouth  has  spoken  in  trouble. 

15  Burnt  offerings  of  fatlings  I  bring  Thee, 

With  the  incense  of  rams ; 
I  bring  bullocks  with  goats. 


PSALM   LXVII.  163 

1 6  Come  and  hear,  I  will  tell, 

All  ye  that  fear  God, 
What  He  did  for  my  soul; 

17  I  called  with  my  mouth, 

With  my  tongue  I  extolled  Him ; 

1 8  If  my  heart  had  delighted  in  evil, 
The  Lord  would  not  hear  me ; 

19  But  in  truth  the  Lord  heard  me, 
He  gave  ear  to  my  suppliant  voice. 

20  Blessed  be  God, 

Who  turns  not  my  prayer  away  from  Himself, 

And  from  me  He  withholds  not  His  kindness. 

(3)  Come  cringing.  Heb.  lie;  tongue.  Ever  there,  and  ready  for 

that  is,  falsely  profess  submission,  utterance ;  as  if  stored  up  for  use  on 

See  on  xviii.  44.  every  suitable  occasion.  Comp.  x.  7, 

(17)  With  my  tongue  I  extolled  7,  under  his  tongue  are  trouble  and 

Him.  Heb.  exaltation  beneath  my  wrong. 


LXVII. 

THANKSGIVING  FOR  A  BOUNTIFUL  HARVEST. 

ACH  plentiful  harvest  is  to  Israel  a  fulfilment  of  the  promise  given 
in  Lev.  xxvi.  4,  and  a  pledge  that  God  is  with  His  people,  and 
that  its  mission  to  the  whole  world  shall  not  remain  unaccomplished."  — 
Delitzsch.  It  lies  in  direct  connection  with  the  promise  to  Abraham  in 
Gen.  xii.  3,  and  in  this  broad  sense  is  Messianic. 

1.  The  priestly  benediction  from  Num.  vi.  24~26,  followed  by  a  prayer  that  the 
saving  knowledge  of  God  may  spread  over  the  whole  earth  (1-2).  2.  The  prospect 
exhibited  of  the  entrance  of  all  nations  into  the  kingdom  of  God  (3,  4).  8.  The  con- 
version of  the  nations  is  shown  in  its  connection  with  the  present  joyful  event.  Every 
fruitful  season  is  an  earnest  of  further  blessing  up  to  the  full  measure  of  God's 
promise. 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   ON  STRINGED  INSTRUMENTS. 

1  God  have  compassion  and  bless  us, 
And  grant  us  the  light  of  His  presence  ; 

2  That  Thy  way  may  be  known  in  the  earth, 
Thy  saving  power  to  all  nations. 


1 64  THE   PSALMS. 

3  Let  the  peoples,  O  God,  give  Thee  praise, 
Let  the  peoples  all  give  Thee  praise ; 

4  Let  the  nations  be  glad,  let  them  joyfully  shout*, 
For  with  justice  Thou  judgest  the  peoples, 

And  guidest  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

5  Let  the  peoples,  O  God,  give  Thee  praise, 
Let  the  peoples  all  give  Thee  praise ; 

6  The  earth  yields  her  increase, 

And  Jehovah  our  God  gives  us  blessing  ; 

7  God  gives  us  blessing, 

Let  the  bounds  of  the  earth  all  revere  Him. 


LXVIII. 


JEHOVAH  TRIUMPHANT. 

THERE  is  a  wide  difference  of  opinion  among  critics  as  to  the  time 
and  occasion  of  the  sixty-eighth  Psalm.  But  all  agree  that  it  is  the 
grandest  of  these  sacred  odes.  In  its  description  of  the  wonderful  achieve- 
ments of  Jehovah,  as  King  and  Protector  of  Israel,  there  is  an  intermingling 
of  epic  stateliness  and  grandeur  with  lyric  simplicity  and  elegance.  It  is 
greatly  enriched  by  frequent  allusion  to  more  ancient  songs  commemorative 
of  signal  deliverances.  It  is  the  most  elaborate  and  artistic  of  the  Psalms, 
but  incomparably  bold,  rugged  and  abrupt  in  its  style  and  transitions.  The 
last  mentioned  features  are  decidedly  in  favour  of  assigning  it  to  a  very 
early  date.  In  its  extensive  sweep  it  covers  the  whole  history  of  Israel, 
from  its  birth  as  a  nation  under  the  sovereign  rule  of  Jehovah,  till  His  final 
triumph  over  all  the  kingdoms  of  the  earth  in  the  reign  of  the  Messiah. 
"  The  fundamental  thought  is  as  clear  as  the  arrangement  and  rhythmical 
organization,  namely :  the  celebration  of  an  entrance  of  God  into  His 
sanctuary  after  a  victory,  and  His  rule  over  the  earth,  extending  itself 
from  thence."  —  Moll. 

The  central  historic  fact  with  which  the  song  of  triumph  is  connected  is 
probably  the  close  of  the  wars  recorded  in  2  Sam.  x.  xi.  against  the  Am- 
monites, and  the  immense  gathering  of  mercenary  Syrian  soldiers  from 
beyond  the  Euphrates,  whose  aid  they  had  purchased  against  the  armies 
of  David.  See  ver.  30,  and  2  Sam.  x.  6,  15-19.  The  ark,  representing 
the  Divine  Majesty  (Ps.  Ixxviii.  61),  had  been  carried  before  the  host  of 
Israel,  and  after  a  decisive  victory  is  now  borne  back  to  Zion  in  a  festal 
procession. 


PSALM   LXVIII.  165 

The  Psalm  consists  of  two  principal  parts :  the  former  (1-14)  &  "vividly  descriptive 
of  preceding  eve  nts  ;  the  latter  (15-35),  of  the  present  and  future. 

1.  God  comes  forth  in  His  might  to  the  ruin  of  His  enemies.  The  righteous  are 
called  to  rejoice  over  His  victorious  advance  through  the  desert,  and  its  rich  results  to 
the  miserable  (1-6).  2.  A  similar  march,  after  the  exodus  from  Egypt,  is  recalled, 
and  the  Theophany  at  Sinai,  very  terrible,  but  accompanied  by  special  kindness  to  the 
feeble  and  dependent  ( 7-10) .  3.  The  recent  victory  is  described,  —  a  vivid  narration  of 
passing  events  in  their  succession  (11-14-) •  4-  The  return  of  the  triumphant  host, 
•with  the  ark  before  them,  to  the  sacred  hill  of  Zion  (15-18).  5.  A  doxology  to  God, 
as  the  God  of  salvation,  who  will  surely  destroy  those  that  defy  Him  (19-23).  6.  The 
triumphal  procession  to  the  sanctuary  is  described  (24-27).  7.  Prayer  that  God  will 
fully  accomplish  His  merciful  purpose,  that  all  men  may  yield  to  His  sway,  and  that 
the  whole  world  may  glorify  Him  (28-35). 

FOR  THE  LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      BY  DAVID.      A   SONG.      A  PSALM. 

1  God  arises,  His  enemies  scatter, 

They  that  hate  Him  are  fleeing  before  him: 

2  As  smoke  is  driven  dost  Thou  drive  them ; 
As  wax  melts  away  before  fire, 

The  wicked  come  to  nought  before  God. 

3  But  the  righteous  are  glad,  they  rejoice  before  God, 
Yea,  exult  in  their  gladness. 

4  Sing  ye  to  God ;  strike  the  harp  to  His  Name, 

A  highway  cast  up  for  the  Rider  through  deserts, 
In  Jah  as  His  Name,  exult  ye  before  Him. 

5  The  Defender  of  widows,  and  Father  of  orphans, 
Is  God  in  the  place  where  His  holiness  dwells : 

6  The  exiled  and  lonely  He  brings  to  a  home, 

And  the  bound,  He  sends  forth  to  abundance ; 
But  rebels  abide  in  a  land  parched  and  dry. 

7  When  with  Thee  before  them  Thy  people  went  forth, 
In  Thy  march,  O  God,  through  the  waste,  [Selah.] 

8  The  earth  was  convulsed ;  yea,  the  skies  fell  in  drops 

before  God ; 

Before  God  yonder  Sinai  was  shaken, 
Before  Israel's  God. 

9  A  free-flowing  rain  didst  Thou  send  us,  O  God ; 
It  was  Thine  to  refresh  Thy  drooping  possession : 

IO   For  there  were  Thy  living  ones  dwelling, 

In  Thy  goodness,  O  God,  Thou  hast  care  for  the  poor. 


1 66  THE   PSALMS. 

11  When  the  Lord  gives  command, 

A  great  host  are  the  women  that  herald  the  tidings ; 

12  "The  kings  of  the  armies  are  fleeing  —  are  fleeing, 
She  that  bideth  at  home  shall  distribute  the  spoil ; 

13  When  ye  camp  midst  the  sheepfolds, 

Covered  with  silver  are  the  wings  of  the  dove, 
And  her  pinions  with  glistening  gold ; 

14  For  yonder  the  Almighty  has  scattered  the  kings, 
Like  the  snow  upon  Zalmon." 

15  Mountains  of  God  are  the  mountains  of  Bashan, 
Many  peaked  mountains,  the  mountains  of  Bashan ; 

1 6  Why  gaze  ye  with  envy,  ye  mountains  with  peaks, 
At  the  mount  God  desireth  to  dwell  in? 

Yea,  Jehovah  will  dwell  there  forever. 

17  The  chariots  of  God  are  myriads  twice  told, 

Upon  thousands  are  thousands ; 
The  Lord  is  among  them, 

In  His  holy  place  now,  as  on  Sinai. 

1 8  Thou  ascendest  on  high,  leading  captive  the  captives 

Thou  receivedst  as  gifts  among  men ; 
And  even  with  rebels  Jehovah  our  God  is  to  dwell. 

19  Ever  blessed  be  God,  who  daily  is  bearing  our  burdens, 
Even  God  who  has  saved  us. 

20  God  on  our  side  is  a  God  of  salvation, 
Through  Jehovah  our  God  escape  we  from  death. 

21  Yea,  God  smites  asunder  the  head  of  His  foes, 
The  hairy  crown  that  stalks  on  in  his  sins ; 

22  The  Lord  said,  "  Out  of  Bashan  will  I  bring  him, 
Yea,  back  from  the  depths  of  the  sea  will  I  bring  him ; 

23  That  thy  feet  thou  mayest  dash  in  the  enemies'  blood, 
And  the  tongue  of  thy  dogs  shall  have  share." 

24  They  saw,  O  God,  Thy  triumphal  return, 

The  triumphal  return  of  my  God  and  my  King, 
Passing  up  to  His  place  the  most  holy. 

25  The  singers  went  foremost,  behind  them  the  harpers ; 
In  the  midst  are  the  damsels  that  beat  on  the  timbrels : 


PSALM   LXVIII.  167 

26  "Bless  the  Lord  in  the  choir  of  the  assembly; 
Bless  the  Lord  ye  whose  fountain  is  Israel." 

27  There  is  Benjamin  the  youngest,  their  ruler; 
In  their  throng  are  the  princes  of  Judah, 

With  princes  of  Zebulon,  princes  of  Naphtali. 

28  Thy  God  has  ordained  that  strength  shall  be  thine ; 
Then  all  Thou  hast  wrought  for  us  strengthen,  O  God. 

29  At  Thy  royal  abode  on  Jerusalem's  height, 
Unto  Thee  let  the  kings  bring  their  gifts. 

30  Rebuke  the  wild  beast  of  the  reeds,  the  herd  of  strong 

cattle, 
And  the  steers  of  the  peoples, 

That  serve  basely  for  ingots  of  silver ; 
He  has  scattered  the  nations  that  delight  them  in  war. 

31  The  magnates  of  Egypt  are  coming, 

And  Cush  hastens  on,  with  her  hands  stretched  forth 
unto  God. 

32  Sing  unto  God,  all  ye  lands  of  the  earth, 

Sound  your  harps  to  the  Lord,  —  [Selah.] 

33  To  the  Rider  through  the  highest  heavens  of  old  ; 
Lo,  He  utters  His  voice,  a  voice  that  has  strength. 

34  Ascribe  might  unto  God, 
Whose  majesty  rules  over  Israel, 

His  might  in  the  skies; 

35  A  God  to  be  feared,  coming  forth  from  His  Holies,- 
It  is  Israel's  God, 

Who  gives  might  and  full  strength  to  His  people  ; 
Blessed  be  God ! 

(i)  God  arises,  etc.  These  open-  forth  by  the  graphic  imperfect  tense, 

ing  words  are  adapted  from  the  Ian-  as  in  course  of  present  fulfilment, 
guage  of  Moses,  when  the  ark  set        (4)  A  highway  cast  up.     An  or- 

forward  on  its  long  journey  through  dinary  preparation  for  the  march  of 

the   wilderness.     See   Num.  x.   35.  kings  and  their  armies  through  the 

The  only  change  is  in  the  form  of  pathless  wilderness  ;  Is.  xl.  I ;  Mai. 

the  verbs.    What  is  there  prayed  for  iii.  i.  —  The  Rider.  Comp.  xviii.  10, 

in  the  use  of  the  imperative  mood:  "He  rode  on  a  cherub,  and  flew:" 

"Arise,  O  Jehovah,  and   let  Thine  civ.  3,  "Who  maketh  the  clouds  His 

enemies  be  scattered,"   is  here  set  chariot."  The  deserts  through  which 


i68 


THE   PSALMS. 


the  conqueror  rides  are  the  extensive 
steppes,  intervening  between  Pales- 
tine and  the  scene  of  the  recent  bat- 
tles, faraway  in  the  north.  —  In  Jah. 
'  Heb.  Jah,  An  archaic  abbreviation 
of  the  Divine  Name  Jehovah,  first 
found  in  the  song  of  Moses,  Ex.  xv. 
2.  It  is  here  introduced  as  a, pledge 
of  the  gracious  exercise  of  His  al- 
mighty power  on  behalf  of  His  peo- 
ple; a  reminiscence  of  Ex.  iii.  13-15. 

(8)  The  skies.    The  upper  air,  the 
region  of  clouds  and  storms.     See 
Judg.  v.  4 :   ;'  The  heavens  dropped, 
yea,  the  clouds  dropped  water;"  Is. 
xlv.  8. 

(9)  A   free-flowing  rain.     Heb. 
ghhem  rtdaboth,  a  rain  of  freewill 
offerings ;  a  profuse  rain,  with  pos- 
sible reference  to  manna  and  other 
Divine  gifts. 

(11)  When  the  Lord  gives  com- 
mand. The  order  for  the  final  onset 
against  the  enemy,  issued  by  the  Di- 
vine Leader  of  the  hosts  of  Israel. — 
The  women  that  herald  the  tid- 
ings. An  allusion  to  the  ancient 
custom  of  celebrating  a  victory  by 
women  with  song  and  dance;  Ex. 
xv.  20,  21  ;  i  Sam.  xviii.  6,  7.  The 
three  following  verses  probably  give 
the  words  in  which  the  joyful  news 
is  proclaimed. 

(13)  When  ye  camp  midst  the 
sheepfolds.  We  find  in  the  song 
of  Deborah,  Judg-  v.  16  :  "'Why  sat- 
test  thou  among  the  sheepfolds  ? " 
It  is  an  expostulatory  question,  ad- 
dressed to  those  who  remained  at 
home  in  indifference,  when  the  war- 
riors of  the  nation  went  forth  against 
the  enemy.  We  might  translate 
here  interrogatively.  But  there  can 
scarcely  be  a  reproof  intended.  For 
when  these  tidings  go  forth  the  vic- 
tory has  been  won,  and  it  has  been 
so  decisive  that  they  may  now  with- 
out fault  enjoy  their  rest.  This 
seems  to  be  a  simple  congratulation 
on  the  rich  spoil  that  has  been  taken 
from  the  enemy,  and  the  glittering 
appearance  of  the  encampments  of 
Israel.  The  gleam  of  the  silver  and 
gold  is  compared  to  the  brilliant  ef- 


fect of  the  sunlight  upon  the  rich 
metallic  colours  of  the  plumage  of  a 
dove.  Israel  is  also  compared  to  a 
dove  in  Ixxiv.  19. 

(14)  The  reference  to  snow  upon 
Zalmon  is  obscure.  Zalmon  was 
probably  some  well-known  eminence 
on  which  the  effects  of  a  snowstorm 
could  be  seen  far  away.  The  thought 
may  be  that  the  spoils  dropped  by 
the  vanquished  army  in  its  headlong 
flight  were  like  the  snowdrifts  on 
Zalmon,  or  that  the  whitened  bones 
of  the  slain  shall  be  like  the  snow. 
More  probably  Zalmon  was  an  ex- 
posed projecting  height  over  which 
the  wind  raged  with  peculiar  fierce- 
ness, and  the  poet  refers  to  the  snow 
as  driven  during  the  storm,  leaving 
its  summit  always  bare  and  black. 
The  name  Zalmon  means  black.  The 
mention  of  the  kings  as  scattered  by 
the  Almighty,  in  the  preceding  line 
of  the  parallelism,  favours  this  as  the 
point  of  comparison.  It  is  not  un- 
like the  description  of  the  enemies 
of  God  as  driven  like  smoke  in  ver.  2. 

(15-18)  The  army  must  now  re- 
turn to  Zion,  the  city  of  the  great 
King,  in  order  that  the  glorious  vic- 
tory may  be  appropriately  celebrated. 
The  immediate  reference  to  the 
mountain  range  of  Bashan  confirms 
the  conjecture  that  the  poem  is  to 
be  connected  with  the  war  between 
Israel  and  the  various  Syrian  nations 
from  beyond  the  Euphrates,  recorded 
in  2  Sam.  x.  15, 19.  The  battle  was 
fought  at  Helam,  near  the  Euphrates, 
belonging  to  the  half  tribe  of  Manas- 
seh,  to  which  Bashan  had  been  as- 
signed as  part  of  its  territory.  The 
lofty  mountain  range  of  Bashan  was 
therefore  in  sight  of  the  army  on  its 
homeward  march.  It  is  called  "a 
mountain  of  God,"  as  conspicuous 
among  the  works  of  God.  The  per- 
sonification of  these  great  mountains 
as  full  of  envy,  when  the  triumphant 
host  passed  them  by,  and  went  by 
preference  to  the  little  hill  of  Zion,  is 
superb.  These  may  be  referred  to 
as  an  emblem  of  the  hostile  powers 
east  of  the  Jordan,  or  more  widely, 


PSALM  LXVIII. 


169 


of  the  world  and  its  powers  as  threat- 
ening the  people  of  God(Delitzsch). 

(18)  Leading  captive  the  cap- 
tives Thou  receivedst  as  gifts 
among  men.  The  familiar  render- 
ing, "  Leading  captivity  captive," 
yields  no  meaning  whatever,  except 
by  understanding  that  the  abstract 
noun  captivity  is  used  by  metonymy 
for  the  concrete  captives.  In  order 
to  be  intelligible  to  most  readers,  it 
should  have  been  so  rendered  by  the 
O.  T.  Revisers.  In  the  above  ren- 
dering the  following  line  is  treated 
as  a  defining  relative  clause,  but  with 
the  relative  pronoun  omitted,  which 
is  frequent  in  Hebrew  as  in  English. 
The  clause  states  how  these  cap- 
tives were  acquired.  Thus  treated 
all  these  lines,  the  second  as  well  as 
the  first  and  third,  refer  to  persons, 
and  not  to  the  ordinary  spoil  of  war. 
The  gifts  taken  from  men  are  them- 
selves men,  who  have  yielded  to 
Divine  power,  and  who  may  be  re- 
garded as  tribute  to  the  Great  King. 
Tribute  in  money,  though  enforced 
by  superior  power,  is  spoken  of  as  a 
"gift"  or  present  in  2  Sam.  viii.  2,  6. 
In  Eph.  iv.  8  ff.  this  passage  is 
cited  as  having  its  fulfilment  in  the 
triumph  of  the  Redeemer,  who  is 
there  said  to  have  received  gifts  for 
men.  Yet,  as  Moll  well  says,  "from 
the  standpoint  of  fulfilment,  the  con- 
queror has  not  taken  to  himself  these 
gifts,  which  constitute  his  spoils,  for 
his  own  enrichment,  but  for  the  ben- 
efit of  men."  In  the  mind  of  the 
Apostle  these  "  gifts  for  men  "  are 
men,  the  captives  of  Divine  grace,  of 
whom  "He  gave  some  to  be  apostles 
and  some  prophets,"  etc. ;  Eph.  iv.  1 1. 
The  subordinate  clause  might  be  ren- 
dered, "Thou  receivedst  gifts  con- 
sistittgofm&L,"  or  more  freely,  "Thy 
trophies  are  men."  See  the  use  of 
the  same  preposition  after  a  similar 
verb  in  Job  xxxix.  17:  "nor  hath  he 
imparted  to  her  of  understanding." 

(21)  The  hairy  crown.  A  head 
with  luxuriant  growth  of  hair  is  a 
sign  of  youth  and  power  (Del.,  Hupf.), 
here  of  defiant  power.  The  context 


shows  that  the  two  following  verses 
relate  to  proud  enemies  who  had  been 
conquered,  and  endeavour  to  hide 
themselves  in  the  impenetrable  for- 
ests of  Bashan,  or  in  deep  gulfs, 
probably  referring  to  the  Dead  Sea, 
about  whose  unfrequented  shores  a 
fugitive  might  hope  for  successful 
concealment ;  but  from  whose  deep- 
est recesses  this  malefactor  shall  be 
dragged  back  to  punishment. 

(24)  Thy  triumphal  return.  Lit. 
goings,  repeated  in  the  second  line. 
The  word  receives  its  colouring  from 
the  following  description.  It  is  the 
stately  advance  of  a  triumphal  pro- 
cession celebrating  the  victory  over 
the  enemies  of  God  and  His  people. 

(27)  Benjamin  the  youngest, 
their  ruler.  This  recognizes  Saul, 
the  first  king  of  Israel,  as  belonging  to 
the  tribe  of  Benjamin,  and  the  loca- 
tion of  the  sanctuary  within  its  bor- 
ders.—  Judah  follows,  the  tribe  to 
which  the  sceptre  of  Israel  had  been 
permanently  attached  by  the  proph- 
ecy of  Jacob  in  Gen.  xlix.  10,  con- 
firmed by  the  promise  to  David  in 
2  Sam.  vii.  12-16.  —  Zebulon  and 
Naphtali  had  possession  on  the 
northern  boundary  of  the  kingdom, 
and  are  mentioned  in  the  song  of 
Deborah  as  having  distinguished 
themselves  by  their  valour  in  the 
early  history  of  the  nation ;  Judg.  v. 
1 8,  comp.  iv.  6. 

(30)  Rebuke  the  wild  beast  of 
the  reeds.  This  verse  has  been 
overloaded  with  exposition,  and  the 
result  is  somewhat  bewildering.  The 
principal  exegetical  authorities  agree 
that  all  after  this  first  clause  relates 
to  the  recent  confederation  against 
Israel.  — The  strong  cattle  (Heb. 
''abbirim,  strong  ones  j  see  ''abblre 
bashan,  "strong  bulls  of  Bashan" 
in  xxii.  12)  are  the  leaders  of  the 
great  army  combined  against  Israel, 
and  the  steers  (young  bullocks)  of 
the  peoples  represent  the  Syrian 
tribes  that  followed  them  in  vast 
numbers.  These  last  are  further 
described  by  a  participial  clause  va- 
riously interpreted,  and  the  verse 


THE   PSALMS. 


closes  with  an  emphatic  reference 
to  the  act  of  God  in  their  dispersion, 
as  already  declared  in  the  opening 
sentence  of  the  Psalm.  These  suc- 
cessive clauses  being  so  closely  com- 
bined, all  relating  to  the  poet's  own 
time,  and  to  the  terrible  war  he  com- 
memorates, "  the  wild  beast  of  the 
reeds"  mentioned  first  in  the  series, 
must  have  been  some  distinguished 
chieftain  who  had  made  himself  pe- 
culiarly obnoxious  in  the  great  rising 
against  Israel.  Or  it  may  be  an 
ideal  impersonation  of  the  spirit  of 
hostility  to  God,  a  creation  of  the 
poet's  own  thought.  In  either  case, 
real  or  imaginary,  it  is  to  be  identi- 
fied with  the  one  spoken  of  and  ad- 
dressed in  verses  21-23.  The  com- 
mon assumption  that  this  beast  is 
Egypt  is  founded  solely  on  the  men- 
tion of  reeds  by  the  rivers  and 
brooks  of  Egypt  in  Is.  xix.  6,  and 
the  designation  of  Pharaoh  as  "  a 
broken  reed,"  in  Is.  xxxvi.  6.  The 
reed  may  have  been  a  symbol  of 
Egypt,  but  this  is  not  sufficient  to 
prove  a  reference  to  that  land  here. 
It  is  a  well-established  fact  that  along 
most  of  the  rivers  throughout  Syria, 
reeds  and  canes  of  various  kinds  are 
abundant,  including  with  the  ordi- 
nary cane  here  mentioned,  the  Egyp- 
tian papyrus,  and  the  bulrush  (Heb. 
gdme)  of  Ex.  ii.  3  and  Is.  xviii.  2. 
See  Dr.  W.  M.  Thomson,  The  Land 
and  the  Book,  pp.  450-452,  in  his 
description  of  the  impenetrable  jun- 
gle of  both  species  on  the  marshy 
shores  of  Lake  Huleh,  the  source  of 
the  Jordan.  The  warlike  chieftain 
of  the  Psalm  may  have  earned  his 
appellation  "  wild  beast  of  the  reeds  " 
by  his  use  of  such  thickets  for  con- 


cealment when  hotly  pursued  by  his 
enemies.  For  anciently  as  now  these 
tangled  masses  of  reed  and  rush,  with 
other  vegetation  of  larger  and  smaller 
growth,  were  the  favourite  resort  of 
wild  beasts  of  every  kind.  This  was 
"the  pride  of  the  Jordan,"  Jer.  xlix. 
19, 1.44  (Rev.  Old  Test),  from  which 
lions  came  forth  in  search  of  their 
prey.  The  reference  here  to  Egypt 
seems  still  less  probable  when  we  see 
that  it  is  mentioned  in  the  following 
verse  by  its  proper  name,  in  connec- 
tion with  Cush  (Ethiopia),  the  two 
being  ancient  enemies  of  God  in  the 
opposite  direction  to  those  previously 
described.  —  That  serve  basely  for 
ingots  of  silver.  Heb.  letting  them- 
selves be  trampled  ^lpon  for  bars 
(uncoined  masses)  of  silver.  The 
verb  is  the  reflexive  (hithpatl)  form 
of  rapha,  to  trample  ^lpon ;  like 
hithrappa,  to  get  one^s  self  healed ; 
hithhappes  (from  hhaphas,  to  seek), 
to  conceal  or  disguise  one^s  self,  lit.  to 
make  one"*s  self  sought.  It  refers  to 
those  who  render  mercenary  service 
in  war  as  guilty  of  an  act  of  immeas- 
urable baseness,  and  deserving  the 
utmost  contempt.  This  rebuke  was 
called  for  by  the  fact  that  the  great 
Syrian  army  was  hired  by  the  Am- 
monites, and  fought  not  for  principle 
but  for  pay ;  2  Sam.  x.  6 ;  I  Chron. 
xix.  6,  7.  The  prep,  beth  is  not  with, 
but  in  exchange  for,  the  regular  for- 
mula for  mentioning  price  in  connec- 
tion with  barter  or  wages. 

(31)  And  Cush  hastens  on,  etc. 
Lit.  and  Cush  makes  her  hands  run 
unto  God.  In  the  connection  of  this 
verse  with  ver.  29,  the  hands  are  to 
be  regarded  as  laden  with  gifts,  rather 
than  stretched  forth  in  supplication. 


PSALM   LXIX.  171 


LXIX. 

A  SUFFERER  FOR  RIGHTEOUSNESS*   SAKE. 

THE  authorship  of  this  Psalm  is  regarded  as  more  doubtful  than  that 
of  many  ascribed  by  their  title  to  David.  Various  expressions  point 
rather  to  Jeremiah  (Delitzsch),  but  objections  are  made  to  connecting  it 
with  the  latter  which  cannot  be  set  aside  (Keil,  Kurtz).  In  its  scope  and 
various  expressions  it  is  closely  related  to  Ps.  xl.,  and  like  it  must  be  re- 
garded as  typically  prophetic  of  the  Messiah.  Next  to  Ps.  xxii.  it  is  cited 
in  the  New  Testament  oftener  than  any  other. 

1.  He  describes  his  sufferings,  especially  as  resulting  from  his  faithfulness  to  God 
(1-12).  2.  His  cry  for  help  becomes  more  importunate  (13-21).  3.  He  invokes  retri- 
bution upon  his  persecutors  (22-28).  4-  Thanksgiving  arid  confidence  (29-36). 

FOR  THE   LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      SET   TO   SHOSHANNIM.      BY   DAVID. 

1  Save  me,  O  God, 

For  the  waters  come  in,  yea,  even  to  my  soul. 

2  I  sink  in  the  mire  of  the  abyss, 

Where  is  no  place  for  standing ; 
I  am  come  to  deep  waters, 

And  a  flood  overwhelms  me. 

3  I  am  weary  with  calling,  my  throat  is  burned  up ; 
Mine  eyes  waste  away  while  I  wait  for  my  God. 

4  Those  that  causelessly  hate  me, 

Are  more  than  the  hairs  of  my  head ; 
My  destroyers  are  strong,  my  slanderous  foes,  — 
That  which  I  robbed  not,  I  then  must  restore. 

5  Thou  Thyself,  O  God,  well  knowest  my  follies, 
My  faults  are  not  hid  from  Thy  sight ; 

6  Yet  not  through  me,  Lord  Jehovah  of  Hosts, 

Let  those  hoping  in  Thee  come  to  shame ; 
Not  through  me,  God  of  Israel, 

Let  those  seeking  for  Thee  be  dishonoured. 

7  But  for  Thee  I  bear  insult, 

And   dishonour  has  covered  my  face. 


i;2  THE   PSALMS. 

8  I  am  a  stranger  to  my  brethren, 
An  alien  to  the  sons  of  my  mother; 

9  Because  zeal  for  Thy  house  has  consumed  me, 
Thy  revilers'  revilings  have  fallen  upon  me. 

10  When  I  fasted  and  wept  out  my  soul, 
It  brought  me  their  scoffing; 

1 1  When  I  put  on  me  clothing  of  sackcloth, 
It  made  me  their  by-word ; 

12  Of  me  do  they  talk  while  they  lounge  at  the  gate, 
And   sing  while  gulping  strong  wine. 

13  But  I,  O  Jehovah,  in  a  time  of  favour  my  prayer  is  to  Thee, 

Through  Thy  great  lovingkindness,  O  God ; 
Be  Thy  faithful  salvation  mine  answer ! 

14  Pluck  me  out  of  the  mire,  and  let  me  not  sink; 
Let  me  escape  from  my  foes, 

From  the  depths  of  the  waters ; 

15  Let  not  the  rush  of  the  waters  o'erwhelm, 
Nor  the  abyss  shut  me  in. 

1 6  Give  me  answer,  Jehovah,  for  Thy  kindness  is  good  ; 
In  abundant  compassions, 

Turn  toward  me  Thy  face ; 

17  And  conceal  not  Thy  face  from  Thy  servant, 

For  distress  is  upon  me,  —  come  quick  at  my  call ; 

1 8  Draw  nigh  to  my  soul  and  redeem  it, 
Set  me  free  because  of  my  foes. 

19  My  reviling  Thou  knowest,  my  shame,  my  dishonour, 
Mine  enemies  all  are  before  Thee ; 

20  Their  insults  have  broken  my  heart  and  I  languish ; 
For  pity  I  looked,  but  in  vain, 

For  consolers,  but  none  could  be  found. 

2 1  They  provided   me  gall  for  my  food, 

And  vinegar  brought  me  to  drink  in  my  thirst. 

22  Let  their  table  before  them  be  a  trap, 
And  their  greetings  of  friendship  a  snare; 

23  Let  their  eyes  become  dim  that  they  see  not ; 
Smite  their  loins  with  continual  trembling. 


PSALM   LXIX.  173 

24  Pour  the  heat  of  Thine  anger  upon  them, 
Let  the  glow  of  Thy  wrath  overtake  them. 

25  Let  their  camp  be  laid  waste, 
And  let  no  man  inhabit  their  tents. 

26  For  they  persecute  him  Thou  hast  smitten, 

And  they  tell  of  the  pain  of  those  Thou  hast  pierced. 

27  In  their  guilt  hold  them  guilty, 

Have  Thy  righteousness  out  of  their  reach. 

28  Blot  them  out  of  the  roll  of  the  living, 
Let  their  names  not  be  writ  with  the  just. 

29  But  I,  —  O  my  God,  in  suffering  and  sorrow, 
Let  Thy  power  to  help  give  me  safety ; 

30  And  God's  Name  will  I  praise  with  a  song, 
And  with  thank-offering  laud  Him. 

3 1  Thus,  more  than  by  an  ox,  will  Jehovah  be  pleased, 
More  than  by  a  bullock  with  horns  and  with  hoofs ; 

32  Let  the  suffering  behold  and  rejoice  ; 

Ye  that  seek  after  God,  let  your  heart  take  new  life. 

33  For  Jehovah  gives  heed  to  the  needy, 
His  prisoners  He  has  not  despised. 

34  Let  the  heavens  and  the  earth  give  Him  praise, 
The  seas,  yea  and  all  that  is  moving  therein ; 

35  For  God  is  the  Saviour  of  Zion, 

And  the  cities  of  Judah  He  builds, 
And  there  men  shall  dwell  and  possess  them ; 

36  The  seed  of  His  servants  shall  hold  them, 

And  therein  shall  those  loving  His  Name  have  a  home. 

(4)  That  which  I  robbed  not,  I  See  note  on  Iv.  n.    The  verb  stahh, 

then  must  restore.     Probably  pro-  which  is  only  used  of  light  conversa- 

verbial,  and  illustrative  of  the  injus-  tion,  indicates  that  the  following  verb, 

tice  of  those  who  charged  him  with  literally,  they  sit,  does  not  describe 

a  crime  of  which  he  was  innocent,  the  formal  sitting  of  a  magistrate  or 

and  demanded  satisfaction  to  justice,  of  those  engaged  in  important  busi- 

For  a  similar  case  see  Jer.  xv.  10.  ness,  but  the  careless  ease  of  those 

(i  2)  They  talk  while  they  lounge  who  have  come  merely  for  gossip 

at  the  gate.     "The  gate"  is  men-  and  amusement, 

tioned  as  including  the  public  square  (22)  And  their  greetings  of  friend- 

for  the  transaction  of  business,  just  ship.     Heb.  sheldinlm,  the  plural  of 

within  the  gate  of  a  city,  a  general  shaldm,  of tenest  translated  peace,  but 

place  of  resort  for  its  inhabitants,  in  its  radical  and  frequent  meaning 


174  THE   PSALMS. 

it  covers   the  whole  conception  of  salam.     The  rendering  "their  salams 

soundness,   health,  prosperity,    and  a  snare "  would  be  understood  by  a 

blessing.    We  are  to  remember  here  multitude  of  readers.    "  Their  table  " 

the  question  Shdldm  Fkd  ?     "  Is  it  in  the  preceding  line   is  the  table 

well  with  thee?"  2  Kings  iv.  26,  etc.,  at   which   they    are    entertained   in 

and  the  common  use  of  the  word  as  pretended    friendship,    and    "their 

a  salutation  of  civility  or  friendship,  greetings  "    here    are   those    which 

which  is  perpetuated  in  the  oriental  they  receive. 


LXX. 

THE  CRY  OF  A  PERSECUTED  ONE  FOR  HELP. 

A  REPETITION  with  slight  variations  of  the  latter  part  of  Ps.  xl.f 
the  resemblance  of  which  to  Ps.  Ixix.  has  already  been  noticed.  This 
fragment  stands  in  similar  relation  to  both  Psalms.     Yet  it  is  complete  in 
itself,  and  therefore  suitable  for  separate  use. 

FOR   THE   LEADER   OF  THE   CHOIR.      TO  BRING  TO   REMEMBRANCE. 

1  O  God,  haste  Thee  on  to  deliver; 
Oh  haste  Thee,  Jehovah,  to  help  me. 

2  Let  those  come  to  shame  and  confusion, 

Who  hunt  for  my  life ; 
Let  those  be  repulsed  in  disgrace, 
Who  desire  to  destroy  me ; 

3  Let  those  turn  away  in  their  shame, 

That  say  to  me,  "  Aha !  " 

4  But  all  those  that  seek  Thee, 

In  Thee  let  them  joy  and  be  glad ; 
All  that  love  Thy  salvation, 

Let  them  say  without  ceasing, 

"  Jehovah  be  greatly  exalted  !  " 

5  And  I,  in  my  suffering  and  need,  — 

Make  haste  to  me,  O  God; 
Thou  art  my  help  and  deliverer, 
O  Jehovah,  delay  not ! 


PSALM    LXXI.  175 


LXXI. 

THE  PRAYER   OF  OLD   AGE  FOR   DIVINE  AID   TO   THE  END. 

AN  anonymous  Psalm,  which  begins  like  Ps.  xxxi.  and  closes  like  Ps. 
xxv.  "The  whole  Psalm  is  an  echo  of  the  language  of  older  Psalms." 
Delitzsch  regards  it  as  the  work  of  Jeremiah,  but  his  reasons  are  not  con- 
clusive. "  There  are  no  sufficient  reasons  against  the  Davidic  composition 
of  this  Psalm  at  the  close  of  his  life.  It  is  as  natural  to  suppose  that  the 
aged  David  should  repeat  himself  in  familiar  phrases  of  the  Psalms  of  his 
younger  days  as  that  Jeremiah  or  any  other  poet  of  later  times  should  use 
the  words  and  phrases  of  David."  —  Briggs. 

It  contains :  1.  Prayer  for  deliverance,  with  thankful  acknowledgment  of  God's 
goodness  from  his  earliest  childhood  (1-6).  2.  After  referring  to  wonders  already 
wrought  as  a  ground  of  hope,  he  supplicates  like  favour  for  the  present  and  future 
(9-13)  3.  He  resolves  to  go  on  in  the  strength  of  the  Lord  (14,  15).  4~  Thanks- 
giving (19-24). 

1  In  Thee,  O  Jehovah,  I  take  refuge ; 
Let  me  never  come  to  shame. 

2  In  Thy  righteousness  rescue  and  save  me ; 
Incline  Thou  Thine  ear  and  deliver. 

3  Become  to  me  a  home  in  the  rock  for  continual  resort, 

Thou  that  gavest  commandment  to  save  me; 
For  Thou  art  my  cliff  and  my  fortress. 

4  My  God  set  me  free  from  the  hand  of  the  wicked, 
From  the  grasp  of  the  man  that  wrongeth  and  rageth ; 

5  For  Thou,  even  Thou,  art  my  hope, 

Thou,  Lord  Jehovah,  my  trust  from  my  youth. 

6  Upon  Thee  was  I  stayed  from  my  birth, 

By  Thy  help  I  came  from  my  mother, 
And  my  praise  shall  be  ever  of  Thee. 

7  I  am  a  wonder  to  many, 

But  Thou  art  my  strong  place  of  hiding; 

8  And  full  of  Thy  praise  is  my  mouth, 
Yea,  full  of  Thy  glory  all  the  day  long. 

9  Cast  me  not  off  in  the  time  of  old  age, 

And  do  not  forsake  me  when  strength  is  declining. 


THE   PSALMS. 

10  For  mine  enemies  say, 

As  conspiring  together  they  watch  for  my  life: 

11  "  Surely  God  has  forsaken  him, 

Press  after  and  take  him,  for  no  one  can  rescue." 

12  Be  Thou  not  afar  off,  O  my  God, 
Oh,  haste  Thee  to  help  me." 

13  Let  those  pass  away  in  their  shame, 

That  lie  in  wait  for  my  life ; 
Let  those  put  on  clothing  of  scorn  and  disgrace, 
That  seek  to  destroy  me ; 

14  As  for  me,  I  continually  hope, 

And  more,  and  yet  more,  will  I  praise  Thee. 

15  My  mouth  Thy  righteousness  tells, 

And  all  the  day  long  Thy  salvation, 
For  I  know  not  their  number. 

1 6  With  the  mighty  acts  of  Jehovah  the  Lord  do  I  come, 
And  Thy  righteousness  praise,  yea,  Thine  only. 

17  Thou  hast  taught  me,  O  God,  from  my  youth; 
Hitherto  I  have  shown  Thy  wonderful  works : 

1 8  Even  down  to  old  age  and  gray  hairs, 

Let  me  not,  O  God,  be  forsaken  of  THEE? 
Till  I  show  forth  Thy  might  unto  this  generation, 
Thy  power  unto  all  that  shall  come. 

19  Thy  righteousness  reaches  high  heaven,  O  God; 
Thou  that  doest  great  things,  who  is  like  unto  Thee? 

20  Who  hast  made  us  to  suffer  distress  great  and  sore, 

But  wilt  give  us  new  life ; 
From  the  depths  of  the  sea  wilt  Thou  bring  us; 

21  Thou  wilt  add  to  my  greatness, 
And  again  wilt  console  me. 

22  And  I  on  the  lute  will  extol  Thee, 

Thy  truth,  O  my  God ; 
Unto  Thee  will  I  play  on  the  harp, 
Thou  Holy  One  of  Israel. 

23  My  lips  sing  with  joy  while  I  play, 

And  my  soul  which  Thy  grace  has  redeemed. 


PSALM   LXXII.  177 

24   Yea,  my  tongue  shall  speak  of  Thy  righteousness  all  the 

day  long; 

For  they  are  in  shame,  for  they  are  confounded, 
That  seek  to  destroy  me. 

(7)  I  am  a  wonder  to  many.  He  He  would  declare  them,  but  cannot 

is  thinking  of  his  remarkable  escapes  in  their  full  detail.     They  are   in- 

from  danger,  and  of  the  marvellous  numerable,  and  furnish  matter  for 

vicissitudes  of  his  life.     The  Heb.  thanksgiving  that  can  never  be  ex- 

mopheth  often  occurs  after  "oth,  of  hausted.     See  xl.  5. 
things   contrary  to  the   course   and         (i  6)  The  mighty  acts  of  Jehovah, 

order  of  nature,  the  miraculous  signs  Heb.  geburoth.     Lit.  powers;  that 

and  wonders.     So  in  the  New  Test,  is,  proofs  of  the  Divine  power.    It  is 

from  the  Sept.  a^eia  /cat  Wpara.  the  nearest  equivalent  to  the  Greek 

(15)  I  know  not  their  number.  8wdp,€ig,  in  the  New  Testament  al- 

That   is,  of  the   acts   which   prove  ways  meaning  miracles. 
God's    righteousness    or    salvation. 


LXXII. 

PRAYER  FOR  THE    PEACEFUL,   PROSPEROUS,  UNIVERSAL,   AND 
EVERLASTING  DOMINION   OF   GOD'S   ANOINTED   ONE. 

"T^VERYTHING  here  indicates  the  pen  of  Solomon,  rather  than  of 
-d'  David.  It  is  a  grand  prophetic  prayer.  It  relates  to  himself  and 
his  own  administration,  but  upon  the  basis  of  the  promise  to  David  in 
2  Sam.  vii.  12-16,  which  included  the  whole  royal  race  descended  from 
Solomon  in  its  typical  unity,  and  so  culminates  in  the  Messiah  and  His 
eternal  reign  of  blessing  over  the  whole  race.  The  apocopate  form  of  the 
verbs  in  their  succession  indicate  supplication,  and  that  he  was  not  to  his 
full  consciousness  a  prophet.  But  nevertheless  he  was  an  inspired  suppli- 
ant, and  his  utterances  are  a  glorious  prophecy  of  the  coming  and  kingdom 
of  a  greater  than  Solomon. 

The  kingdom  desired  and  foretold  is :  1.  Righteous  (1-4).  2.  Perpetual  (5-7}. 
5.  Universal  (8-11}.  4-.  Benign  (12-U}.  5.  Prosperous  (15-17}. 

The  closing  doxology  in  verses  18  and  19  does  not  belong  to  this  separate 
Psalm,  but  to  the  Second  Book  of  the  Psalter,  and  also  the  subscription  in  verse 
20. 

BY   SOLOMON. 

1  Give  Thy  justice,  O  God,  to  the  king, 

To  the  royal  by  birth  Thy  righteousness  give; 

2  Let  Him  righteously  govern  Thy  people, 
With  equity  rule  Thy  sufferers ; 

12 


178  THE   PSALMS. 

3  Let  the  mountains  bear  peace  for  the  people, 
And  the  hills  be  fruitful  in  right; 

4  For  the  suffering  people  let  Him  execute  judgment, 

Let  Him  save  those  whose  birthright  is  want ; 
Let  Him  crush  the  oppressor. 

5  While  the  sun  shall  endure  let  them  fear  Thee, 
While  the  moon  gives  its  light, 

Throughout  all  generations ; 

6  May  He  come  like  the  rain  on  the  meadow, 
Like  showers  that  water  the  earth ; 

7  In  His  days  let  the  righteous  man  flourish 
And  welfare  abound  till  the  moon  be  no  more. 

8  From  the  sea  let  Him  rule  to  the  sea  farthest  off, 
From  the  river  to  the  bounds  of  the  earth ; 

9  Let  the  wild  men  come  crouching  before  Him, 
And  His  foes  have  their  mouth  in  the  dust; 

10  Let  the  kings  pay  Him  tribute, 

Of  Tarshish  and  shores  far  away ; 
Kings  of  Sheba  and  Seba  bring  gifts; 

11  Let  all  kings  bow  before  Him, 
And  the  nations  all  serve  Him. 

12  Because  he  delivers  the  needy  that  cries, 
The  sufferer  whom  no  one  can  rescue ; 

13  He  pities  the  wretched  and  needy, 
And  the  lives  of  the  needy  He  saves ; 

14  He  redeems  them  from  wrong  and  from  outrage, 
Of  great  price  is  their  blood  in  His  sight. 

15  Let  Him  live  ;  of  the  gold  of  Sheba  let  them  give  Him ; 
For  Him  let  them  pray  without  ceasing, 

Yea,  all  the  day  long  let  them  bless  Him. 

1 6  To  the  top  of  the  mountains 

Abundant  be  grain  in  the  land ; 
Let  the  growth  thereof  wave 

Like  the  cedars  of  Lebanon, 
And  away  from  the  city  men  flourish 
Like  plants  of  the  earth. 


PSALM   LXXII. 


179 


17  Let  His  Name  continue  forever  ; 

While  the  sun  shows  its  face 
Let  His  Name  still  endure, 
And  men  count  themselves  blessed  in  Him; 
Let  the  nations  all  hail  Him,  the  Blest. 

1 8  Blessed  be  Jehovah,  even  Israel's  God, 
Who  alone  doeth  wonders  ; 

19  And  blessed  the  Name  of  His  glory  forever, 
And  let  the  whole  earth  be  filled  with  His  glory; 

Amen  and  Amen. 

20  The  prayers  of  David,  the  son  of  Jesse,  are  ended. 


(i)  The  king  .  .  the  royal  by 
birth.  Heb.  the  king  .  .  .  the  son 
of  a  king.  The  prayer  is  by  Solo- 
mon, not  for  a  king  and  his  son, 
but  for  a  single  person,  first  as  a 
king  in  fact,  and  then  as  of  royal 
descent. 

(4)  Let  Him  execute  judgment. 
Not  always  against  culprits,  but  often 
in  behalf  of  the  injured ;  see  vii.  8, 
xxvi.  i.  — Those  whose  birthright 
is  -want.  Heb.  the  sons  of  want; 
a  common  Hebraism. 

(7)  Let  the  righteous  man  flour- 
ish. Heb.  burst  into  blossom.  A 
figure  derived  from  luxuriant  vegeta- 
tion, and  suggested  by  "the  show- 
ers "  in  ver.  o.  See  note  on  xcii.  12. 
-"Welfare.  Heb.  shalom,  usually 
rendered  peace.  From  the  rootsfod- 
lern,  to  be  whole,  sound.  It  compre- 
hends all  completeness  in  condition 
and  relations.  See  note  on  Ixix.  22. 
The  Greek  eip^vrj,  peace,  through  its 
use  in  the  Septuagint  in  rendering 
shalom,  brings  into  the  New  Test, 
a  much  fuller  and  richer  conception 
of  blessing  than  it  has  in  classical 
usage. 


(8)  From  the  sea  .  . .  From  the 
river.  This  verse  describes  univer- 
sal dominion  geographically.  "The 
river  "  and  "  the  sea,"  meaning  the 
river  Euphrates  and  the  Mediterra- 
nean, were  the  eastern  and  western 
boundaries  of  Solomon's  kingdom, 
and  are  the  starting-points  in  this 
description.  Beyond  the  great  sea 
it  was  imagined  that  another  sea 
might  exist,  and  this  the  absolute 
limit  of  the  world.  The  parallelism 
requires  that  the  western  sweep  of 
the  Messianic  kingdom  should  be 
as  extensive  as  the  eastern. 

(10)  Fay  Him  tribute.  Lit.  bring 
again  gifts.  The  verb  shub  expresses 
repetition,  and  indicates  regular  pay- 
ments to  a  conqueror,  as  in  2  Kings 
iii.  4,  xvii.  3,  etc.  —  Of  shores  far 
away.  Heb.  ''iyylm,  usually  ren- 
dered islands,  means  coast-lands ; 
places  reached  only  in  ships. 

(17)  Hail  Him  the  Blest.  From 
''ashar,  the  verb  from  which  the  fre- 
quent dshre,  "O  the  happiness"  is 
derived.  See  on  i.  i.  Just  before 
and  after  we  have  forms  of  the  verb 
barak,  to  bless. 


BOOK    III. 


LXXIII. 


THE  PROSPERITY  OF  THE   WICKED  TRANSIENT. 

THIS  Psalm  and  the  ten  following  are  attributed  in  their  title  to  Asaph. 
The  only  one  of  the  group  that  precedes  this  is  Ps.  1.,  where  see 
remarks  upon  their  general  character. 

The  same  problems  that  are  discussed  in  Psalms  xxxvii.  xlix.,  and  in  the 
Book  of  Job,  are  treated  here,  and  with  similar  solution.  But  the  vindica- 
tion of  God's  ways  by  Asaph  is  more  satisfactory,  and  the  confidence  and 
joy  in  God  are  more  explicit  than  we  find  in  Job.  Indeed  the  veil  that 
conceals  the  heavenly  world  was  lifted  before  him.  Everything  seemed 
bright  and  clear  for  the  future  to  one  who  could  say,  "  Thou  wilt  guide  me 
by  Thy  counsel,  and  thereafter  receive  me  into  glory." 

I.  A  problem  (1-U).    II.  Its  solution  (15-28). 

I.  1.  His  present  conviction  of  God's  unvarying  goodness  to  His  faithful  people, 
contrasted  with  his  previous  disturbance  (1-3).     2.   The  prosperity  and  pride  of  the 
wicked  (£-9).     3.   The  apostasy  produced  by  their  example  (10-14). 

II.  1.  In  his  perplexity  the  Psalmist  turns  to  God '(15-17).    2.  The  riddle  solved 
(18-20).     S.   Thus  relieved,  he  confesses  his  folly,  and  God  becomes  his  stay  and  his 
hope  (21-26).    £.  Contrast  between  the  lot  of  the  wicked  and  his  own  (27,  28). 

A  PSALM   OF  ASAPH. 

1  Of  a  truth  God  is  gracious  to  Israel, 
To  those  of  pure  heart. 

2  But  my  feet  very  nearly  gave  way, 

In  a  moment  my  steps  would  have  failed. 

3  For  my  jealousy  flamed  at  the  boastful, 
I  saw  how  the  wicked  were  prospered ; 

4  For  they  suffer  no  pangs, 
Sound  and  firm  is  their  strength ; 


PSALM   LXXIII.  181 

5  They  share  not  the  trouble  of  mortals, 
And  are  not  stricken  down  with  mankind ; 

6  Therefore  pride  is  their  necklace, 

And  a  garment  of  outrage  enfolds  them. 

7  From  their  grossness  of  heart  their  iniquity  comes, 
The  vain  thoughts  in  their  mind  overflow ; 

8  They  scoff,  and  wickedly  speak  of  oppression, 
They  speak  from  on  high ; 

9  Yea,  their  mouth  they  have  set  in  the  heavens, 
Their  tongue  roves  about  in  the  earth ; 

10  And  thitherward,  therefore,  God's  people  turn  back, 
And  full  flowing  waters  they  greedily  drink, 

11  They  say,  "  How  can  God  know? 

Has  indeed  the  Most  High  any  knowledge? 

12  Behold,  these  are  the  wicked  ; 

Yet  fearless  forever  they  attain  to  great  power ; 

13  It  was  surely  in  vain  that  I  made  my  heart  clean, 
Or  my  hands  in  innocence  washed ; 

14  For  all  the  day  long  was  I  smitten, 
Every  morning  my  chastisement  came." 

15  Had  I  said,  "  Even  thus  will  I  speak," 

Lo,  I  then  had  been  faithless  to  the  race  of  Thy  sons. 

16  When  I  pondered,  in  order  to  know  this, 
It  was  painful  toil  to  mine  eyes  ; 

17  Till  I  entered  the  sanctuary  of  God, 
And  considered  what  end  must  be  theirs ; 

1 8  Of  a  truth  Thou  hast  set  them  in  slippery  places, 
Thou  castest  them  down  to  destruction. 

19  How  suddenly  ruin  overtakes  them  ! 
Swept  off,  made  away  with  by  terrors. 

20  As  a  dream  when  one  wakens, 
So,  Lord,  at  Thy  rousing, 

Thou  wilt  scorn  their  vain  show. 

21  When  my  heart  became  bitter, 
And  my  soul  was  in  pain, 


1 82  THE   PSALMS. 

22  I  was  brutish  and  stupid ; 
Before  Thee  I  became  as  a  beast. 

23  But  to  me  it  has  fallen  to  be  with  Thee  alway ; 
Thou  hast  grasped  my  right  hand : 

24  By  Thy  counsel  Thou  wilt  lead  me, 
And  thereafter  wilt  take  me  to  glory. 

25  Whom  have  I  in  heaven  beside  THEE  ; 
And  with  Thee  as  mine  own, 

In  the  earth  I  have  nought  to  desire. 

26  My  flesh  and  my  heart  pass  away ; 
But  God  is  the  Rock  of  my  heart, 

And  my  portion  forever. 

27  For,  lo,  those  afar  from  Thee  perish ; 
Those  that  wantonly  leave  Thee, 

Thou  destroyest  them  all. 

28  As  for  me,  my  great  joy  is  my  nearness  to  God  ; 
In  Thee,  Lord  Jehovah,  I  hide  me, 

That  so  I  may  tell  all  Thy  works. 

(2)  Gave  -way.  Heb.  natah  (n(pJT),  verse  is  that  these  bad  men  seem  to 

to  bend  over,  inclining  to  a  fall ;  so  be  treated  as  if  they  belonged  to  a 

of  a  wall,  leaning  over;  Ixii.  3. —  superior  race,  exempt  from  the  suf- 

Would    have  failed.      Heb.  were  fering  of  humanity  at  large. 
poured  out,  of  footsteps  as  slipping.         (7)  From  their  grossness  of  heart 

(4)  Pangs.      Heb.     hhartsubbaJi,  their  iniquity  comes.  Lit.  their  eyes 
I.  a  tightly  drawn  cord,  Is.  Iviii.  6;  go  forth  from  (because  of)  fatness. 
then,  torture,  as  by  tight  constric-  Olsh.,  Hitzig,  and  others  prefer  the 
tion;  equivalent  to  the  more  frequent  Septuagint  rendering  on  the  basis  of 
hhebel,  a  cord ;  2.  pi.  pangs,  convul-  ''avonam  (D^J?),  their  iniquities,  for 
sions,   throes.      The  clause  in  the  "'enam  (&?%),  their  eyes.     "Fatness" 
present  Hebrew  text  asserts  that  the  is  used  of  a  heart  full  of  evil  desire, 
wicked  suffer  no  pain  in  dying.  This  The  same  general  result  is  reached 
cannot  be  the  thought  of  the  poet.   If  by  taking  "eyes  "  in  the  standing  text, 
it  had  seemed  to  him  true,  it  would  in  its  frequent  ethical  sense,  of  in- 
not  be  placed  foremost  in  the  descrip-  ward  propensity  or  desire,  good  or 
tion.     The  difficulty  is  relieved  by  bad,  as  expressed  through  the  eyes. 
a  slightly  different  division  of  the  This  is  favoured  by  the  verb  yatsa1 
verse,  throwing  the  two  final  letters  (N^T),  of  evil  lusts  in  their  activity  as 
of  the  first  line  into  the  second.     So  going  forth. 

Cheyne,  following  Del.,  Ew.,  Olsh.,  (10)  And    thitherward,    there- 

Hitz.,  and  others.  fore,    God's    people    turn    back. 

(5)  Mortals  .  . .  mankind;   as  in  Heb.  therefore  his  people  turn  back 
viii.  4,  ''endsh,  man  as  frail,  •zx\&'ladam,  hither.     The  pronoun  His  certainly 
man  generic.     The  thought  of  the  refers  to  God.     Hither  and  thither, 


PSALM   LXXIV. 


183 


like  come  and  go,  are  relative  and 
easily  convertible  terms,  depending 
on  the  position  of  the  speaker.  The 
poet,  for  the  purpose  of  closer  obser- 
vation and  more  vivid  description, 
has  ideally  planted  himself  in  the 
midst  of  the  men  who  are  enjoying 
their  prosperity  and  "  drinking  ini- 
quity like  water  "  (Job  xv.  16),  but 
to  those  at  a  distance  his  hither  is  a 
thither.  So  poh  tfpdh,  prop,  here  and 
here,  and  sham  v'sham,  prop,  there 
and  there;  both  mean,  by  rapid 
transference  from  one  ideal  stand- 
point to  another,  here  and  there. 
Prof.  Cheyne  adopts  a  change  in  the 
text  purely  conjectural,  which  he 
admits  is  inconsistent  with  the  use 
of  the  conjunction  therefore  (Heb. 
laken},  "  Therefore  He  satisfies  them 
with  bread."  The  line  so  read  is  ab- 
solutely unintelligible.  —  Therefore 
here  is  co-ordinate  with  therefore  in 
ver.  6.  Both  are  connected  with  ver- 
ses 4  and  5,  giving  two  distinct  re- 
sults of  the  prosperity  of  the  wicked, 
their  own  encouragement  in  all  evil, 
and  among  the  people  of  God,  dis- 
couragement and  apostasy.  —  And 
full  flowing  waters  they  greedily 


drink.  Heb.  and  waters  of  fulness 
are  dtained  by  them.  The  verb 
matsah  means  to  drink  greedily,  as 
in  Ixxv.  8;  Is.  li.  17.  The  meaning 
wring  out  found  in  Lev.  i.  15  is  sug- 
gestive of  punishment,  and  cannot 
be  the  thought  here. 

(11)  And  they  say,  How  can 
God  know?  etc.  These  are  ques- 
tionings of  the  apostates,  followed  in 
verses  12  and  13  by  the  considera- 
tions that  had  induced  them  to  cast 
in  their  lot  with  the  wicked. 

(19)  Swept     off,     made     away 
with.      Heb.    sdphu    tammu,    two 
short,  sharp  verb  forms,  closely  com- 
bined, expressive  of  sudden  and  ir- 
resistible   ruin.  —  Terrors;   that  is, 
frightful    calamities ;    especially   fa- 
miliar in  Job  (xviii.  n,  14,  xxiv.  17, 
etc.). 

(20)  Vain    show.     Heb.   tselem, 
a  shadow  j  then,  an  illusion,  refer- 
ring back  to  their  boasted  strength 
and  fearlessness. 

(21)  My  soul  was  in  pain.    Heb. 
/  was  pricked  in   my   reins.     The 
reins  (kidneys)  in  Heb.  psychology 
as  the  seat  of  the  passions  and  of  all 
deep  emotions  ;  see  on  xvi.  7. 


LXXIV. 


AN  APPEAL  TO  GOD  AGAINST  THOSE  WHO  HAVE  DESOLATED 
THE  SANCTUARY. 

THE  title  mentions  Asaph  as  the  author.  But  it  cannot  be  the  elder 
Asaph,  who  was  contemporary  with  David.  For  the  description 
here  given  cannot  apply  to  any  event  earlier  than  the  destruction  of  the 
temple  by  the  Chaldeans,  recorded  in  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  19.  To  this  period 
it  is  assigned  by  De  Wette,  Hengstenberg,  Hupfeld,  Moll.  But  in  several 
important  particulars  it  does  not  correspond  with  the  historic  details  of  the 
Chaldean  invasion,  especially  in  verses  3,  4,  8,  9.  Olshausen,  Hitzig,  and 
Delitzsch  connect  it  with  the  atrocities  of  the  Syrian  invasion  under  Antio- 
chus  Epiphanes,  B.  c.  167.  The  only  objection  lies  in  ver.  7,  which  is  taken 
to  mean  that  the  temple  was  utterly  destroyed,  which  is  not  in  accordance 
with  the  historic  statement  in  the  Books  of  the  Maccabees.  Yet  the  porch 
of  the  temple  was  burned  (2  Mace.  i.  8),  and  the  whole  interior  so  thor- 


1 84  THE   PSALMS. 

oughly  stripped  and  desecrated  (i  Mace.  i.  21-24)  that  they  cried  to  God 
in  their  misery,  "  Behold,  our  sanctuary  and  our  beauty  and  our  glory  are 
laid  waste,  and  the  heathen  have  profaned  them."  i  Mace.  ii.  12. 

It  is  one  of  the  most  spirited  and  graphically  descriptive  Psalms  in  the 
Psalter,  and  its  appeals  to  God,  referring  to  past  interventions  of  His  Al- 
mighty power  in  behalf  of  Jsrael,  are  magnificent. 

Like  the  preceding  it  consists  of  two  principal  parts,  1-11, 12-23.  In  the  former 
half :  1.  An  appeal  to  God's  compassion  in  behalf  of  His  afflicted  people  (1-3).  2.  A 
description  of  the  desolation  that  had  come  upon  them  (4-9).  3.  God  is  called  upon 
to  give  aid  by  an  act  of  judgment  (10, 11). 

In  the  second  half:  1.  The  poet  recalls  past  miracles  in  Israel's  great  perils  (12-17). 
#.  Thus  encouraged,  he  turns  again  to  prayer,  "which  becomes  cheerful  and  bold 
(17-23). 

A  MASKIL   OF   ASAPH. 

1  Wherefore,  O  God,  dost  Thou  spurn  us  forever? 
Why  riseth  the  smoke  of  Thine  anger, 

'Gainst  the  flock  of  Thy  care? 

2  Remember  Thy  people,  Thy  purchase  of  old, 
The  tribe  Thou  hast  bought  for  possession, 

And  Mount  Zion  whereon  Thou  hast  dwelt. 

3  Let  Thy  footsteps  pass  up  to  the  ruin  enduring, 
To  all  wreck  of  the  Holy  Place  wrought  by  the  foe. 

4  Thine  enemies  roared  in  Thy  place  of  assembly, 
They  set  up  their  symbols  for  the  symbols  of  God. 

5  It  seemed  as  if  men  with  their  axe  lifted  high, 
Were  assaulting  a  thicket  of  trees  ; 

6  For  now  the  carved  work  thereof  all 
Is  smitten  with  hammer  and  sledge. 

7  To  Thy  holy  fane  they  put  fire, 

They  pollute  to  the  earth  the  abode  of  Thy  Name. 

8  They  said  in  their  heart,  "  We  will  crush  them  at  once," 
And  they  burned  all  the  houses  of  God  in  the  land. 

9  We  see  not  our  symbols ; 

No  more  have  we  with  us  a  prophet, 
Nor  any  that  knoweth  how  long. 

10  How  long,  O  Jehovah,  shall  oppressors  revile? 
Shall  enemies  alway  scoff  at  Thy  Name? 

1 1  Oh,  why  should  Thy  hand,  Thy  right  hand  hold  back? 
Let  it  now  from  Thy  bosom  come  forth  and  destroy. 


PSALM   LXXIV.  185 

12  Yet  God  is  my  King  from  of  old, 

Who  worketh  deliverance  to  the  bounds  of  the  earth. 

13  It  is  Thou  that  didst  sunder  the  sea  in  Thy  strength, 

In  the  deep  didst  Thou  shatter  the  heads  of  the  dragons  ; 

14  It  is  Thou  that  didst  crush  Leviathan's  head, 

And  didst  give  him  for  food  to  wild  beasts  of  the  desert. 

15  It   is  Thou  that  didst  cleave  the  fountain  and  torrent, 
And  dry  up  the  streams  ever  flowing. 

1 6  Thine  is  the  day,  also  Thine  is  the  night; 

It  is  Thou  that  preparedst  the  light  and  the  sun  ; 

17  And  Thou  that  hast  fixed  all  the  bounds  of  the  earth  ; 
Summer  and  winter,  it  is  Thou  that  hast  formed  them. 

1 8  O  Jehovah,  remember  how  the  enemy  scoffs, 
A  foolish  people  are  blaspheming  Thy  Name  ; 

19  Thy  turtledove  give  not  to  a  ravenous  brood, 
Forget  not  forever  Thy  suffering  charge. 

20  Oh,  look  on  the  covenant ; 
For  the  land's  darkest  corners 

Are  crowded  with  violent  homes. 

21  Let  not  the  oppressed  be  turned  back  in  dishonour, 
Let  the  suffering  and  needy  give  thanks  to  Thy  Name. 

22  Arise,  O  God,  and  plead  Thine  own  cause  ; 
Remember  how  all  the  day  long  the  foolish  revile  Thee. 

23  Forget  not  Thine  enemies'  voice, 

The  loud  roar  of  Thy  foes  that  ascendeth  forever. 

% 

(1)  Why  riseth   the  smoke  of  (4)  Their  symbols  for  the  sym- 
Thine    anger.     Heb.    why    smokes  bols  of  God.     Heb.  their  symbols 
Thine    anger.     See    xviii.    8. —Of  for  symbols;  that  is,  false  and  idol- 
Thy  care ;  that  is,  care  as  a  shep-  atrous  institutions  of  worship  for  the 
herd.     The  corresponding  verb  (see  true.     The  latter  included  the  ark, 
on  xxviii.  9)  means  to  be  a  shepherd,  altar,  and  all  appurtenances  of  the 
to  tend  a  flock,  and  this  noun  in-  temple.     For  the  former  see  I  Mace, 
eludes  the  whole  conception,  and  is  i.  45-49.     So  "  symbols  "  in  ver.  9. 
not  confined  to  pasturage  or  feed-  (5)  It  seemed  as  if  men.     Heb. 
ing;  Ixxix.  13,  c.  3;  Jer.  xxiii.  i,  2.  it  made  itself  known  as  if  men.    See 

(2)  The  tribe  Thou  hast  bought.     R.  V.     The  Hebrew  expresses  both 
After  the  destruction  of  the  northern     the  upward  motion  of  the  axe,  and 
kingdom  tribal  distinctions  were  lost     the  penetrative  incision. 

sight  of,  and  "  tribe"  came  to  be  used  (8)  Houses  of  God.  Lit.  meeting- 
of  the  whole  people  as  a  race.  See  places  of  God.  There  are  various 
Jer.  x.  16  and  li.  19  in  the  Rev.  Vers.  reasons  for  concluding  that  these 


1 86 


THE   PSALMS. 


must  be  the  synagogues,  of  which 
there  are  no  traces  in  history  till 
long  after  the  exile. 

(13,  14)  In  connection  with  the 
parting  of  the  Red  Sea,  the  poet 
mentions  the  destruction  of  the  tan- 
nimim,  dragons,  creatures  of  enor- 
mous length,  and  of  Leviathan,  by 
etymology,  flexible  and  gathering 
itself  into  folds.  The  latter  is  the 
name  given  the  crocodile  in  Job  xli. 
i.  Both  refer  to  the  emblem  of  the 
king  and  kingdom  of  Egypt.  See 
Is.  xxvii.  i,  H.  9.  —  To  wild  beasts. 
Heb.  to  wild  beast  people.  See  the 
word  people  used  of  the  ants  and  rock 
badgers  in  Prov.  xxx.  25,  26. 

(15)  Didst  cleave  the  fountain 
and  torrent.  Here  the  smiting  of 
the  rock  so  that  it  became  a  foun- 
tain and  the  smiting  of  the  Jordan 
so  that  its  waters  rolled  back,  are 
combined.  See  Ixxviii.  15  and  Josh. 
iv.  23,  v.  i. 

(19)  Thy  turtle  dove.  A  symbol 
of  Israel.  See  Ixviii.  13. —To  a 
ravenous  brood.  Heb.  hhavyath 
nephesh.  The  Septuagint  has  tirjpiois, 
wild  beasts,  as  in  Gen.  i.  25,  ii.  20, 
etc.  But  against  this  may  be  fairly 
urged  the  improbability  of  this  mean- 
ing here,  when  in  the  following  mem- 
ber of  the  verse  it  means  life.  No 
solution  can  be  admitted  which  does 
not  give  the  same  sense  in  both  lines. 
Now  without  question  the  sing,  hhay- 
yah  is  used  collectively  of  living 
creatures,  the  lower  orders  as  well 
as  the  highest.  Without  more  exact 
definition  it  will  describe  animal  life 


in  general.  So  in  Ixviii.  10  we  have 
translated,  "  For  there  were  Thy  liv- 
ing ones  dwelling."  In  1. 1 1  the*  par- 
allelism shows  a  reference  in  both 
lines  to  birds,  as  in  ver.  10  of  the  same 
Psalm,  there  is  a  reference  in  both 
to  beasts.  Consequently  we  there 
translate,  "  I  know  every  bird  of  the 
mountains,  and  the  brood  (^^Q.  life) 
of  the  meadows  is  with  Me."  Here 
(Ixxiv.  19)  in  each  line  a  word  in  the 
genitive  is  added  to  hhayyath  for 
more  exact  definition.  In  the  first 
line  the  defining  word  is  nephesh, 
eager  desire,  greed  for  food  (see 
Prov.  xxiii.  2,  a  man  of  nephesh; 
that  is,  a  greedy  man),  but  here  of 
the  voracity  of  vultures  or  other  car- 
nivorous birds  for  their  prey.  To 
them  a  dove  would  be  a  dainty  mor- 
sel. In  the  second  line  also  hhay- 
yath has  a  defining  genitive.  It  is 
''aniyyim,  God's  suffering  ones,  who 
in  parallelism  with  the  preceding 
turtle-doves  might  also  be  called  a 
brood,  harmless,  helpless,  affrighted, 
and  in  danger  of  being  torn  in  pieces 
and  devoured  by  their  natural  ene- 
mies ;  and  would  warrant  the  trans- 
lation, Forget  not  forever  Thy  suf- 
fering lives,  that  is,  living  ones. 
There  seems  to  be  a  play  on  the 
word  life  which  is  not  easily  brought 
out  in  translation,  but  which  satis- 
fies the  exegetical  requirement  men- 
tioned in  the  former  part  of  this  note. 
The  sense  is,  Give  not  up  a  helpless 
and  harmless  life,  to  be  destroyed 
by  a  savage  brute  life. 


LXXV. 


GOD   SITTING  IN  JUDGMENT  UPON  PROUD  AND   DEFIANT 
WICKEDNESS. 

THIS  Psalm  is  probably  to  be  referred  to  the  defeat  of  the  Assyrians 
under  Sennacherib  before  Jerusalem  (2  Kings  xix.).     Hengstenberg 
regards  it  "  as  the  lyrical  accompaniment  of  Isaiah's  prophecies  in  view  of 


PSALM   LXXV.  187 

impending  destruction  by  the  Assyrians,  and  as  the  evidence  of  the  living 
faith  with  which  God's  people  received  His  promise." 

The  propheti co-judicial  character  of  the  Psalm  is  strongly  suggestive  of 
Ps.  L,  the  first  of  the  Asaphic  group. 

1.  The  church  gives  thanks  for  the  near  approach  of  God's  revealed  presence  in  the 
might  of  His  Name  (!}.  2,  God  personally  announces  Himself  as  the  Judge  and 
Upholder  of  all  things,  with  rebukes  and  warnings  (2-5).  3.  The  church  takes  up 
the  strain,  expressing  its  confidence  in  the  fact  and  impartial  equity  of  God^s  judg- 
ment (6-8).  4-  The  poet,  personating  the  king,  resolves  to  praise  God  forever,  and  to 
make  the  Divine  equity  the  principle  and  rule  of  his  own  acts  (9, 10). 

TO    THE   LEADER  OF  THE   CHOIR.      " AL-TASSHETH."      A  PSALM  OF  ASAPH. 

A   SONG. 

1  Unto  Thee  we  give  thanks  —  O  God,  we  give  thanks ; 

Very  near  is  Thy  Name ; 
Thy  wonderful  works  have  been  told. 

(God  speaks.) 

2  "  Yea,  I  seize  the  set  time ; 
It  is  I  that  in  equity  judge : 

3  When  the  earth  is  dissolving  with  all  that  are  on  it, 

It  is  I  that  set  firmly  its  pillars.  [Selah.] 

4  I  say  to  vain  boasters,  '  Boast  vainly  no  longer,' 
To  the  wicked  '  Exalt  not  your  horn ;  ' 

5  Exalt  not  your  horn  to  high  heaven, 

And  be  not  of  stubborn  and  arrogant  speech." 

6  For  nought  can  avail  from  the  east  or  the  west, 
And  nought  from  the  desert  of  mountains ; 

7  But  God  is  the  Judge; 

And  one  He  brings  low,  but  another  exalts. 

8  For  Jehovah  has  a  cup  in  His  hand, 

The  wine  is  brisk  and  well  mingled ; 

Of  this  He  pours  out; 
And  surely  the  wicked  of  the  earth 

Shall  drain,  fully  drain,  all  its  dregs. 

9  Forever  be  it  mine  to  proclaim  — 
To  praise  Jacob's  God  on  the  harp ; 

10   All  the  horns  of  the  wicked  will  I  shatter, 
But  exalted  be  the  horn  of  the  righteous. 


188 


THE   PSALMS. 


(1)  Very   near    is    Thy  Name. 

The  Name  of  God  is  the  manifes- 
tation of  what  He  is  in  relation  to 
men.  To  say  that  His  Name  is 
near,  is  simply  to  announce  an  ap- 
proaching activity  judicial  and  re- 
demptive. It  is  mentioned  here  as 
a  matter  of  special  thanksgiving.  — 
Thy  wonderful  works  have  been 
told.  The  construction  is  imper- 
sonal. They  (that  is,  men)  have  told. 
These  works  consist  of  all  past  won- 
ders of  redemption,  as  encouraging 
the  expectation  of  glorious  results 
from  His  appearing  as  now  promised. 

(2)  Yea,  I  seize  the  set  time. 
As  by  a  voice  from  heaven,  God  an- 
nounces Himself  as  now  upon  the 
throne  of  judgment.    "  The  set  time  " 
is  the  time  determined  in  His  own 
wise  and  gracious  purpose.     To  ev- 
ery fresh  Divine  activity  there  is  a 
"fulness  of  time." 

(5)  Exalt  not  your  horn.  Re- 
buking inordinate  pride  of  power, 
as  now  exhibited  even  against  God 
and  His  people.  In  ver.  10,  under 
the  same  figure,  the  poet  speaks  of 
the  exaltation  of  the  righteous  to 
dignity  and  power  as  coming  from 
God.  This  figure,  which  occurs 
frequently  in  the  Old  Testament, 
has  its  earliest  suggestion  in  Deut. 
xxxiii.  17,  and  is  derived  from  ani- 
mals remarkable  for  power  and  ag- 


gressiveness, that  push  with  their 
horns.  It  is  thus  a  standing  symbol 
of  power,  whether  for  offence  or  de- 
fence. It  often  carries  with  it  the  ac- 
cessory idea  of  confidence  and  cour- 
age, but  sometimes,  as  here,  of  pride 
and  presumption.  It  may  be  used  of 
an  individual  in  humble  life,  as  of 
Hannah  in  i  Sam.  ii.  i ;  much  oftener 
of  the  power  of  a  king  or  nation ; 
and  even  God  in  His  saving  power 
is  called  "  a  horn  of  salvation ;  "  2 
Sam.  xxii.  3;  Ps.  xviii.  2.  —  Be  not 
of  stubborn  and  arrogant  speech. 
Heb.  speak  not  arrogantly  with  a 
stiff  neck. 

(6)  From  the  desert  of  moun- 
tains. A  literal  rendering  from  the 
Hebrew  as  in  the  margin  of  the  Re- 
vised Version.  The  reference  is  un- 
doubtedly to  "  the  south,"  as  in  the 
English  Bible,  and  to  what  lay  be- 
yond the  mountains  of  Arabia  Pe- 
traea;  that  is,  to  Egypt.  The  absence 
of  any  allusion  to  the  north  as  a  sup- 
posable  source  of  aid  is  probably  that 
Israel  is  now  threatened  with  destruc- 
tion by  a  power  that  has  come  from 
the  north  (Moll,  Delitzsch). 

(8)  Brisk.     Heb.  boiling  up,  ac- 
tively effervescing ;  of  wine  in  spark- 
ling life  and  potency. 

(9)  Forever  be   it  mine.      The 
pronoun  is  here  emphatic  and  anti- 
thetical. 


LXXVI. 


GOD'S   RIGHTEOUS   JUDGMENT  IN    ITS   TRIUMPH. 

THIS  Psalm  follows  Ps  Ixxv.  most  appropriately.     It  is  the  consumma- 
tion of  the  judgment  there  forecast,  and  throughout  bears  the  impress 
of  the  same  historic  connection.     Without  this  the  preceding  Psalm  disap- 
points us  by  its  incompleteness.      For  the  self-manifestation  of  God  in  the 
illustration  of  His  glorious  Name  at  important  crises  in  history,  when  all  is 
lost  without  the  aid  of  Almighty  power,  embraces  both  the  announcement 
and  the  execution  of  His  righteous  judgment.     This  Psalm  follows,  as  its 
companion  precedes,  the  destruction  of  the  Assyrian  power. 
There  are  four  strophes,  each  having  three  couplets : 


PSALM   LXXVI.  189 

1.  Where  God  has  attained  renown  (1-3).  2.  The  victory  by  which  He  has  sig- 
nalized Himself  '(4-6).  3.  The  dread  which  this  victory  is  fitted  to  awaken  (7-9). 
4.  God  is  irresistible,  and  it  becomes  men  to  worship  and  obey  Him  (10-12). 

TO  THE   LEADER  OF   THE   CHOIR.      UPON   STRINGED   INSTRUMENTS. 
A   PSALM   OF   ASAPH.      A   SONG. 

1  In  Judah  God  made  Himself  known, 
In  Israel  He  won  a  great  Name ; 

2  Then  Salem  became  His  retreat, 
And  His  home  was  in  Zion. 

3  From  thence  has  He  scattered 

The  lightninglike  shafts  of  the  bow, 
The  shield,  and  the  spear,  and  the  battle. 

4  Bright-shining  art  Thou, 

And  more  glorious  than  the  mountains  of  prey; 

5  The  men  of  stout  heart  are  a  spoil ; 
They  sank  down  in  deep  slumber ; 

6  Of  the  valiant  could  none  find  their  hands ; 
Thy  rebuke,  God  of  Jacob, 

Brought  a  stupour  on  chariot  and  horse. 

7  Thou,  even  Thou,  art  a  God  to  be  feared ; 

Who  can  confront  Thee  when  once  Thou  art  angry? 

8  Thou  proclaimedst  Thy  sentence  from  heaven, 
And  the  earth  was  fearful  and  still, 

9  When  God  rose  to  judgment, 

To  save  all  the  meek  of  the  earth. 

10  Surely  man's  wrath  shall  praise  Thee, 

For  with  mightier  wrath  dost  Thou  gird  Thee  about 

1 1  Make  vows,  and  fulfil  them,  to  Jehovah  our  God ; 
All  ye  that  surround  Him, 

Bring  presents  to  Him  ye  should  fear ; 

12  He  breaketh  the  spirit  of  princes, 

He  is  One  to  be  feared  by  the  kings  of  the  earth. 

(i,  2)  These    opening    sentences  the  centre  must  go  forth  every  new 

seem  to  go  back  to  the  first  revela-  manifestation   of   His   glorious  ma- 

tions  of  God's  power  and  grace  by  jesty  in  behalf  of  Israel,  the  latest  of 

which  He  became  established  upon  which  is  now  celebrated  in  thankful 

His  throne  in  Zion.     From  Zion  as  song. 


THE   PSALMS. 


(2)  His  home.    Heb. 

a  dwelling-place;  also  used  of  a  lair, 
as  the  noun  just  before  it,  properly,  a 
booth,  or  covering  made  of  boughs, 
might  describe  a  thicket,  the  prowl- 
ing place  of  wild  beasts.  But  all 
thought  of  God  under  the  figure  of  a 
lion  coming  down  from  "  the  'moun- 
tains of  prey  "  is  unsuitable. 

(3)  The  lightninglike  shafts  of 
the  bow.      Heb.  the  lightnings  of 
the  bow,  meaning  the  arrows  in  their 
swiftness  and  deadly  effect  (Job  xli. 
20) ;  "  the  battle  "   includes   all  the 
weapons  that  have  been  used  against 
His  people  Israel  by  their  assailants. 
Comp.  xlvi.  9. 

(4)  More  glorious.    Heb.  ''addir; 
used  in  viii.  I,  9  of  the  Name  of  God 
as   "transcendent."      See  the  note 
there.  —  Than   the    mountains   of 
prey.     This  is  an  emblematical  des- 
ignation of  the  high-handed  poten- 
tates or  world-powers  that  plunder 
every  one    that    comes   near  them 
(Del.).     The  prep,   min,  from,   is 
here  a  particle  of  comparison. 

(10)  For  -with  mightier  wrath 
dost  Thou  gird  Thee  about.  The 
Authorized  Version  renders  this  line: 
"the  remainder  of  wrath  shalt  Thou 
restrain."  But  while  the  verb  hhagar 
means  to  bind  around,  it  is  never 
used  of  binding  for  the  purpose  of 
restraint.  The  Revised  Version 
gives  the  rendering:  "The  residue 
of  wrath  shalt  Thou  gird  upon 
Thee."  This  is  after  Hupfeld,  and 
it  means,  as  explained  by  him,  that 
the  residue  of  the  wrath  (of  hostile 


men)  God  will  gird  upon  Him  as 
an  ornament,  or  trophy.  But  again, 
there  is  no  instance  of  the  use  of 
hhagar  in  this  sense ;  and  if  there 
were,  it  is  difficult  to  understand 
what  residue  is  intended.  In  these 
explanations  it  is  assumed  that  in 
the  second  line  of  the  verse  as  well 
as  the  first,  the  wrath  of  man  was  in 
the  poet's  mind.  The  difficulty  dis- 
appears when  we  observe  that  on  the 
contrary,  God's  wrath  in  its  super- 
abundance is  spoken  of,  as  aroused 
against  the  feeble  and  ineffective 
wrath  of  man.  The  word  she'erith 
is  usually  a  remainder,  or  surplus. 
It  implies  that  there  is  enough  and 
more  than  enough  for  a  given  pur- 
pose ;  and  in  this  connection,  that 
God's  wrath  is  mightier  than  man's, 
and  that  the  latter  praises  Him  by 
its  submission  to  His  superior  pow- 
er, practically  confessing  its  own  im- 
potence. As  for  the  verb  hhagar,  it 
is  used  elsewhere  of  putting  around 
one's  loins  a  girdle  for  some  great 
exertion.  Then,  figuratively,  a  gird- 
ing with  strength,  with  righteous- 
ness, with  faithfulness,  are  expres- 
sions familiar  to  the  Hebrew.  See 
Ps.  xviii.  32 ;  Prov.  xxxi.  17;  Is.  xi. 
5.  This  surely  gives  the  best  sense 
here,  and  agrees  with  the  scope  of 
the  Psalm.  Against  all  combina- 
tions of  human  wrath,  God  girds 
Himself  with  a  wrath  that  exceeds 
it,  and  returns  as  conqueror,  with  a 
residue  sufficient  for  all  future  need, 
even  if  the  whole  earth  should  turn 
against  Him. 


LXXVII. 


COMFORT  FOR  THE  DESPONDING. 


HPHE  time  to  which  this  Psalm  belongs  is  uncertain.    It  has  a  near  connec- 

-L      tion  with  Habakkuk  ch.  iii.,  which  seems,  in  view  of  the  abrupt  ending 

of  the  Psalm,  as  if  it  might  have  been  intended  as  a  continuation.    Delitzsch's 

argument  in  favour  of  a  connection  between  the  two,  and  of  the  priority  of 


PSALM   LXXVII.  191 

the  Psalm,  is  very  satisfactory  (Comm.  on  Hab.}.    This  would  fix  its  date  as 
not  later  than  the  reign  of  Josiah. 

Without  reference  to  the  question  of  historic  relation,  "  it  may  be  said,  in 
general,  that  the  poet  flies  from  the  sorrowful  present  away  into  the  mem- 
ory of  the  years  of  olden  times,  and  consoles  himself  more  especially  with 
the  deliverance  out  of  Egypt,  so  rich  in  wonders." 

The  general  division  is  into  Complaint  (1-9),  Consolation  (16-20).  1.  The  suf- 
ferer is  impelled  to  unremitting  prayer  (1-3).  2.  Despondent  wail  ings  (£-9). 
3.  fie  calls  to  mind  God's  wonders  of  old  (10-15)  4-  He  finds  special  relief  in 
recalling  God's  mighty  acts  in  the  redemption  from  Egypt  (16—20). 

1  Unto  God  I  lift  up  my  voice,  and  will  cry  ; 
Unto  God  I  lift  up  my  voice,  till  He  hear  me. 

2  In  my  day  of  distress  I  enquire  for  the  Lord  ; 

My  hand  in  the  night  is  stretched  forth  without  ceasing, 
My  soul  refuses  all  comfort. 

3  Remembering  God  I  must  moan, 

When  I  yield  me  to  thought  my  spirit  grows  faint. 

4  Thou  holdest  mine  eyes  on  the  watch  ; 
I  toss  to  and  fro  and  am  speechless. 

5  I  think  of  the  days  of  old  time, 
Of  the  years  far  off  in  the  past  ; 

6  I  remember  my  song  in  the  night ; 
I  commune  with  my  heart, 

And  my  spirit  makes  diligent  search. 

7  Will  the  Lord  forever  cast  me  from  Him? 
Will  He  favour  no  more? 

8  Has  His  kindness  forever  passed  away? 

Is  His  promise  a  failure  to  all  generations? 

9  Has  God  forgotten  to  be  gracious? 
Has  He  shut  up  His  mercies  in  anger? 

10   And  I  said,  "  Mine  affliction  is  this, 

The  right  hand  of  the  Most  High  is  all  changed ;  " 

u    Yet  the  deeds  of  Jehovah  I  remember, 
Yea,  Thy  wonders  of  old  will  recall ; 

12    Upon  all  Thy  works  I  reflect, 

And  Thy  glorious  deeds  will  consider. 


192  THE    PSALMS. 

13  O  God,  Thou  in  holiness  orderest  Thy  way; 
What  God  is  so  great  as  this  God  of  ours  ? 

14  Thou  alone  art  a  God  that  doest  wonders ; 
Thou  revealedst  Thy  might  midst  the  nations : 

15  With  arm  lifted  high  Thou  redeemedst  Thy  people, 
The  children  of  Jacob  and  Joseph. 

1 6  O  God,  when  the  waters  beheld  Thee, 

When  the  waters  beheld  Thee  they  writhed ; 
Yea,  the  depths  were  in  anguish ; 

17  The  clouds  poured  out  water, 

And  the  skies  gave  their  voice ; 
Yea,  Thy  darts  flashed  about, 

1 8  The  voice  of  Thy  thunder  rolled  along, 

The  lightnings  illumined  the  world ; 
And  the  earth  was  convulsed,  and  it  trembled. 

19  In  the  sea  was  Thy  way, 

And  Thy  path  in  great  waters  ; 
Thy  footsteps  were  not  to  be  traced ; 

20  Thou  leddest  Thy  people  like  a  flock, 
By  the  hand  of  Moses  and  Aaron. 

(2)  My  hand  is  stretched  forth  (10)  Affliction  Heb.  sickness; 

•without  ceasing.  Heb.  my  hand  fig. grief,  as  in  Prov.  xiii.  12:  "Hope 

floiveth  out  and  is  not  congealed;  deferred  maketh  the  heart  to  grieve." 

that  is,  it  does  not  become  chilled  The  precise  rendering  of  the  Hebrew 

and  sluggish.  The  hand  as  extended  is,  "and  I  said,  'My  grief  is  this, 

upward  is  a  symbol  of  supplication,  the  change  of  (or,  the  years  of)  the 

and  it  is  this,  in  its  persistence  and  right  hand  of  the  Most  High.'"  The 

fervency,  that  is  described  in  the  sen-  word  shenoth  may  have  either  mean- 

tence.  The  figure  is  very  bold,  and  ing.  The  rendering  we  adopt  is  in 

the  language  becomes  readily  intelli-  the  marg.  of  Revised  Version.  It  is 

gibleonly  by  substituting  other  verbs  that  of  the  Sept.  and  most  of  the 

properly  applicable  to  the  hand  in  ancient  versions.  So  Maur.,  Hitz., 

the  attitude  of  earnest  prayer,  as  in  Hupf.,  Perowne.  The  thought  is 

the  English  Bible,  or  by  substituting  that  the  grief  of  the  sufferer  is  in- 

supplication  for  hand,  which  would  tensified  by  the  contrast  between  the 

give  the  more  poetical  conception  of  present  withdrawal  of  God's  favour, 

a  flowing  stream  that  lies  in  the  He-  and  His  wonderful  works  of  grace 

brew  text.  and  power  in  the  past.  Yet  he 

(4)  Thou  boldest  mine  eyes  on  finds  his  greatest  comfort  in  recall- 

the  watch.  Lit.  Thou  holdest  fast  ing  them,  and  cherishes  the  hope 

the  guards  of  my  eyes;  that  is,  my  that  God  will  be  equally  gracious  in 

eyelids,  to  keep  them  from  closing.  the  present  sore  need. 


PSALM   LXXVIII.  193 


LXXVIII. 

A  LESSON   FROM   THE  PAST. 

NO  historic  connection  can  be  determined  for  this  Psalm.     It  sweeps 
over  the  whole  period  from  Moses  to  David,  in  order  to  impress  upon 
the  hearts  of  the  Israelites  their  obligations  to  God  and  the  danger  of  rebel- 
ling against  Him. 

1.  The  warnings  of  history  to  be  kept  ever  in  mind  (1-8).  2.  The  backslidings  of 
Israel  in  the  wilderness  (9-16).  3.  Rebellious  gluttony,  its  gratification  and  punish- 
ment (17-31).  4.  Deceitful  repentance  and  God's  forbearance  (32-39).  5.  Dis- 
tinguishing mercies  forgotten  (4-0-55).  6.  Idolatry  in  Canaan  (56-64).  ?•  The 
choice  of  Judah,  David,  and  Zion  in  place  of  Ephraim  and  Shiloh  (65-72). 

MASKIL   OF   ASAPH. 

1  Hear  my  law,  O  my  people ; 

Incline  your  ear  to  the  words  of  my  mouth. 

2  I  will  open  my  mouth  in  a  poem, 
I  will  utter  the  oracles  of  old. 

3  The  things  we  have  heard  and  have  known, 
That  our  fathers  have  told  us, 

4  We  will  not  conceal  from  their  children, 

But  rehearse  to  the  next  generation, 

The  praiseworthy  deeds  of  Jehovah, 
His  power  and  the  wonders  He  wrought. 

5  He  established  a  precept  for  Jacob, 

He  appointed  a  law  unto  Israel ; 
Which  He  ordered  our  fathers 

To  make  known  to  their  sons  ; 

6  That  the  next  generation  might  know, 

Even  sons  that  were  yet  to  be  born ; 
Who  should  rise  and  tell  it  to  sons  of  their  own. 

7  That  so  they  might  place  their  reliance  on  God, 
And  should  not  forget  what  Jehovah  has  done, 

But  should  keep  His  commands  ; 

8  And  should  not  become  like  their  fathers, 

A  race  rebellious  and  stubborn, 
A  race  that  had  not  established  its  heart, 
And  in  spirit  unfaithful  to  God. 
13 


194  THE   PSALMS. 

9   The  children  of  Ephraim,  equipped  with  the  bow, 
Turned  back  in  the  day  of  the  battle ; 

10  They  kept  not  the  covenant  of  God, 
Were  unwilling  to  walk  in  His  law, 

1 1  And  His  glorious  deeds  they  forgat, 

The  wonderful  works  He  had  shown  them. 

12  He  did  wonders  in  sight  of  their  fathers, 

In  the  borders  of  Egypt,  the  country  of  Zoan  ; 

13  He  sundered  the  sea  and  let  them  pass  through, 
Made  the  waters  stand  up  as  a  heap ; 

14  With  a  cloud  did  He  lead  them  by  day, 

And  all  the  night  through  with  the  light  of  a  fire. 

15  He  clave  rocks  in  the  desert, 

And  gave  them  to  drink  like  the  depths  in  abundance ; 

1 6  Yea,  streams  He  brought  out  from  the  cliff, 
And  made  waters  flow  down  like  a  river ; 

17  Yet  they  still  went  on  sinning  against  Him, 
In  the  deserts  defied  the  Most  High. 

1 8  Tempting  God  in  their  heart, 
They  asked  food  for  their  craving ; 

19  Yea,  they  spake  against  God  ; 
They  said,  "  Hath  God  power 

In  this  wilderness  land  to  prepare  us  a  table? 

20  Behold,  He  smote  rock,  and  waters  gushed  out, 

And  streams  dashed  along; 
Can  He  also  provide  us  with  bread, 

And  find  flesh  for  His  people?  " 

21  Therefore,  Jehovah,  when  He  heard  it,  was  wroth, 
And  fire  was  kindled  in  Jacob, 

Yea,  wrath  went  up  against  Israel ; 

22  For  they  believed  not  in  God, 
Nor  trusted  His  power  of  salvation. 

23  Yet  He  ordered  the  skies  high  above, 
And  opened  the  doors  of  the  heavens; 


PSALM    LXXVIII.  195 

24  He  rained  on  them  manna  to  eat, 
And  gave  them  of  grain  out  of  heaven  ; 

25  The  mortal  did  eat  the  bread  of  the  mighty, 
Yea,  food  in  abundance  He  sent  them. 

26  He  led  forth  an  east  wind  in  the  heavens, 

And  His  power  was  guide  to  a  wind  from  the  south; 

27  And  flesh  He  rained  down  as  the  dust, 
Fowl  of  wing  like  the  sand  of  the  sea,  — 

28  Let  them  fall  in  the  bounds  of  their  camp, 
All  around  their  abode ; 

29  So  they  ate  and  were  filled  to  the  full, 

Yea,  that  which  they  craved  had  He  brought  them. 

30  But  their  craving  was  still  unappeased, 
The  morsels  were  yet  in  their  mouth, 

3 1  When  the  anger  of  God  rose  against  them ; 

He  slew  their  most  comely, 
The  chosen  of  Israel  destroyed. 

32  Through  all  this,  they  still  went  on  sinning, 
They  believed  not  His  wonders ; 

33  So  their  days  He  made  cease  like  a  breath, 
And  their  years  to  pass  off  in  dismay. 

34  When  He  slew  them  they  sought  Him  ; 

They  turned  back  and  brake  through  unto  God  ; 

35  They  remembered  that  God  was  their  Rock, 
Yea,  God  the  Most  High,  their  Redeemer ; 

36  They  spake  fair  with  their  mouth, 
But  their  tongue  was  deceitful ; 

37  Their  heart  was  not  steadfastly  with  Him, 
They  were  false  to  His  covenant. 

38  Nevertheless,  He  is  full  of  compassion, 

Forgiving  iniquity,  He  will  not  destroy; 
And  ofttimes  He  turns  from  His  anger, 
And  arouseth  not  fully  His  wrath ; 

39  He  remembered  they  were  flesh, 

A  breath  passing  forth,  and  never  returning. 


196  THE  PSALMS. 

40  In  the  desert  how  oft  they  provoked  Him, 
How  oft  in  the  wilderness  vexed  Him; 

41  Again  and  again  they  tempted  their  God, 
And  angered  the  Holy  One  of  Israel. 

42  His  power  they  kept  not  in  mind  — 
The  day  He  released  them  from  foes ; 

43  When  He  set  forth  in  Egypt  His  signs, 

His  wonderful  works  in  the  country  of  Zoan. 

44  Their  streams  from  the  Nile, 

He  had  turned  into  blood, 
And  no  more  could  they  drink  of  their  brooks. 

45  He  sent  flies  that  devoured, 
And  frogs  that  destroyed  them. 

46  To  the  grasshopper  gave  He  their  increase, 
And  their  labour  to  locusts  ; 

47  Killed  their  vineyards  with  hailstones, 
And  their  fig  trees  with  ice ; 

48  Their  cattle  He  gave  to  the  hail, 
And  their  flocks  to  the  lightnings. 

49  He  let  loose  His  hot  anger  against  them, 

Wrath,  indignation,  and  trouble, 
An  embassy  heralding  woe. 

50  He  levelled  a  path  for  His  anger ; 
Their  soul  He  withheld  not  from  death, 

But  their  life  He  gave  up  to  the  plague ; 

5 1  He  smote  all  the  firstborn  of  Egypt, 

The  firstlings  of  strength  in  the  dwellings  of  Ham. 

52  Then  He  led  forth  His  people  as  sheep, 
Like  a  flock  did  He  guide  them  in  deserts ; 

53  He  led  them  securely,  and  freed  them  from  fear, 
And  the  sea  overwhelmed  their  oppressors. 

54  To  His  holy  domain  did  He  bring  them, 

To  this  mountain  His  right  hand  had  gained ; 

55  He  drove  out  the  nations  before  them, 

Whose  possessions  He  assigned  them  by  measure, 
Making  Israel's  tribes  to  dwell  in  their  tents. 


PSALM   LXXVIII.  197 

56  Yet  they  tempting  rebelled  against  God  the  Most  High, 
And  His  ordinance  kept  not; 

57  But,  faithless,  fell  away  like  their  fathers, 
Turned  aside  like  a  treacherous  bow ; 

58  For  they  stirred  up  His  wrath  by  their  worship  on  hills, 
His  jealousy  burned  at  the  sight  of  their  idols. 

59  God  heard,  and  was  wroth, 

And  fierce  in  abhorrence  of  Israel; 

60  He  forsook  His  pavilion  at  Shiloh, 
The  tent  He  had  pitched  among  men, 

6 1  And  His  Majesty  gave  to  be  captive, 

To  the  hand  of  the  tyrant  He  yielded  His  Glory ; 

62  To  the  sword  He  gave  over  His  people, 

And  against  His  heritage  poured  out  His  wrath ; 

63  The  fire  consumed  their  young  men, 

And  hushed  was  the  song  for  the  maiden  as  bride ; 

64  Their  priests  were  cut  down  by  the  sword, 
And  their  widowed  ones  made  no  lament. 

65  Then  the  Lord  roused  up  as  one  that  had  slept, 
Like  a  warrior  that  shouts  over  wine ; 

66  He  smote  back  their  oppressors, 
Made  to  bear  everlasting  disgrace ; 

67  Yet,  rejected  the  encampment  of  Joseph, 
And  chose  not  the  standard  of  Ephraim ; 

68  But  the  standard  of  Judah  He  chose, 
The  mountain  of  Zion  that  He  loved. 

69  Like  the  heavenly  heights  He  builded  His  Holies, 
Like  the  earth  which  He  founded  forever. 

70  He  chose  David  His  servant, 

Whom  He  took  from  the  folds  of  the  sheep ; 

71  From  tending  the  milk-giving  ewes  did  He  bring  him, 
As  shepherd  to  Jacob  His  people, 

To  the  Israel  preserved  as  His  own. 

72  Who  their  shepherd  became 

In  his  soundness  of  heart, 
And  their  guide  by  the  skill  of  his  hands. 


198  THE   PSALMS. 

(44)   Their    streams    from    the  (64)  Their  widowed  ones  made 

Nile.     Lit.  their  Niles.     It  is   the  no  lament.     Wob.  their  widows  did 

plural  of  the  Egyptian  word  ye1  or,  a  not  weep.     Not  to  be  pressed  as  if 

river,  but  used   exclusively  of  the  there  were  no  sorrow  for  the  dead. 

Nile.     It  refers  here,  without  ques-  But  the  slain  were  so  numerous  that 

tion,  to  the  distribution  of  the  wa-  the  public  obsequies  at  their  burial, 

ters  of  the  great  river  by  canals  for  in  which  according  to  oriental  cus- 

tillage.  torn  the  loud  wailing  of  the  nearest 

(49)  Heralding  woe.     Heb.  mes-  relatives  was  a  principal  feature,  had 

sengers  (or  angels)  of  woe.     This  to  be  omitted.     See  Job  xxvii.  15, 

seems  to  be  a  personification  of  the  Rev.  Vers.,  and  Amos  viii.  3:  "The 

Divine   displeasure  under  different  dead  bodies  shall  be  many;  in  every 

aspects.  place  they  shall  cast  them  forth  with 

(61)  His  Majesty  . .  .  His  Glory,  silence." 

Designations  of  the  ark  of  the  cove-  (72)    Their    shepherd    became. 

nant,  the  symbol  of  the  majesty  and  This  is  to  be  preferred  to  the  ren- 

flory  of  God  as  revealed  to  Israel,  dering   "fed   them.'1''     The   service 

ee  especially  I   Sam.  iv.  21.     The  described  by  the  verb  includes  much 

removal  of   the  ark  was  the  with-  more   than  feeding.      See  note  on 

drawal  of  God's  presence  as  King  xxviii.  9. 
and  Deliverer. 


LXXIX. 

DEVASTATION,   BLOODSHED,   AND   DIVISION. 

IN  every  respect  this  is  a  companion  to  Ps.  Ixxiv.     The  general  charac- 
ter and  style,  the  language  and  historic  allusions,  all  indicate  the  same 
time  and  authorship,  with  the  same  doubt  and  probability  as  to  which  of 
the  two  great  national  calamities  is  referred  to. 

1.  A  complaint  of  grievous  misery  (1-4).  2.  A  prayer  that  God  will  turn  His 
wrath  against  the  heathen  (5-7).  3.  A  supplication  for  Divine  compassion  and 
help  (8,  9).  4'  Further  entreaty  that  God  will  avenge  the  dishonour  injlicted  upon 
His  Name  and  His  servants  (10-12).  5.  A  vow  of  thanksgiving  (13). 

A   PSALM   OF   ASAPH. 

1  Thy  heritage,  Lord,  have  the  heathen  invaded, 

Thy  holy  palace  defiled, 
And  have  laid  Jerusalem  in  ruins. 

2  They  have  given  Thy  servants'  dead  bodies 

As  food  to  the  birds  of  the  heaven, 
Thy  favoured  ones'  flesh  to  the  beasts  of  the  earth. 

3  All  around  Jerusalem, 

Their  blood  they  have  poured  out  like  water; 
There  are  none  to  bury  their  dead. 


PSALM    LXXIX.  199 

4  We  are  a  scorn  to  our  neighbours, 

A  scoff  and  a  jest  to  those  round  about  us. 

5  How  long  as  if  alway  will  Jehovah  be  angry? 
How  long  shall  Thy  jealousy  flame  up  like  fire? 

6  On  the  nations  that  know  Thee  not,  pour  out  Thy  wrath, 
On  ths  realms  that  invoke  not  Thy  Name ; 

7  For  they  feed  upon  Jacob, 
And  his  pastures  lay  waste. 

8  Recall  not  against  us  the  guilt  of  our  fathers ; 
Let  Thy  mercies  with  speed  come  to  meet  us, 

We  are  brought  very  low. 

9  Give  us  help,  our  God  of  salvation, 

For  the  glory  of  Thy  Name ; 
For  Thy  Name's  sake  deliver  us,  and  cover  our  sins. 

10  Oh,  why  should  the  heathen  say,  "  Where  is  their  God?  " 
Let  the  heathen  in  our  sight  know  Thy  vengeance, 

For  their  shedding  the  blood  of  Thy  servants. 

1 1  Let  the  groans  of  the  captive  come  before  Thee, 

In  the  might  of  Thine  arm  save  the  children  of  death  ; 

12  And  repay  to  our  neighbours  sevenfold  in  their  bosom, 
The  reviling,  O  Lord,  wherewith  they  revile  Thee. 

13  So  we,  Thine  own  people,  the  flock  of  Thy  care, 

Will  forever  give  thanks ; 
Yea,  to  all  generations  will  utter  Thy  praise. 

(2)  Thy    favoured    ones.      The  (8)  Come  to  meet  us.     Antici- 

plural  of  hhasid,  beloved,  or  loving,  pating  our  need,  as  in  xxi.  3,  lix.  10. 

See  note  on  iv.  3.  (i  i)  Heb.  in  the  greatness  of  Thine 

(5)  How  long  as  if  alway  will  arm  let  survive  the  children  of  death. 

Jehovah  be  angry  ?     See  note  on  "  The  children  of  death  "  are  those 

xiii.  i.  —  Shall  Thy  jealousy  flame  in   imminent   danger,  especially,  in 

up  like  fire?     Jealousy  of  every  ri-  continuation  of  the  preceding  line, 

val  in  the  regard  of  His  people,  in  through  the  barbarities  of  war.  They 

accordance  with  the  favourite  repre-  are  those  whom  death  seems  to  have 

sentation  of  their  spiritual  relation  claimed  as  belonging  to  his  great 

to  Him  as  that  of  a  wife  to  her  hus-  family,  and  who  may  soon  say  to 

band,  and  idolatry  as  unfaithfulness  him,  unless  God  have  mercy,  "Thou 

to  that  relation.    Compare  Jer. iii.  14,  art  my  father;"  see  Job.  xvii.  14. 

"for  I  am  married  unto  you."     See  (13)  The  flock  of  Thy  care.   See 

Deut.  xxxii.  21.  note  on  Ixxiv.  i. 


200  THE   PSALMS. 


LXXX. 

A  PRAYER   FOR  THE  VINE   JEHOVAH   HAD   PLANTED. 

THERE  is  difference  of  opinion  here,  as  in  the  preceding  Psalm,  about 
the  historic  allusion.  Delitzsch  is  probably  right  in  referring  it  to  the 
earlier  part  of  the  reign  of  Hezekiah,  and  before  the  destruction  of  the 
northern  kingdom,  but  when  the  oppression  of  Syria  was  resting  heavily 
upon  Israel,  and  Judah  saw  itself  threatened  with  ruin  when  this  bulwark 
should  have  fallen. 

The  Psalm  is  divided  by  a  refrain  into  three  parts,  consisting  of  three, 
four,  and  twelve  verses : 

1.  An  invocation  of  God  to  give  help  in  distress  (1-3).  2.  A  lamentation  over  the 
deplorable  results  of  God's  anger  (4-7).  3.  The  former  prosperity  of  the  people  as 
a  vine  under  Godys  gracious  care,  contrasted  with  present  desolation  (8—13). 
4..  Prayer  for  protection  and  restoration  (14--19). 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.      SET  TO  "SHOSHANNIM   EDUTH." 
BY   ASAPH.      A   PSALM. 

1  Shepherd  of  Israel,  give  ear, 

Thou  Leader  of  Joseph,  Thy  flock ; 
Yea,  Thou  that  art  throned  upon  cherubim,  shine  forth ; 

2  Before  Benjamin,  Ephraim,  Manasseh, 

Stir  up  Thy  strength, 
And  come  Thou  to  save  us  ; 

3  Restore  us,  O  God ; 

Let  Thy  presence  give  light, 

For  we  then  shall  be  saved. 

4  O  Jehovah,  God  of  Hosts, 

How  long  wilt  Thou  threaten  the  prayer  of  Thy  people? 

5  Thou  hast  given  them  weeping  for  food, 
And  for  drink  they  have  tears  in  full  measure. 

6  Thou  hast  made  us  a  gibe  to  our  neighbours, 
Our  enemies  have  us  their  sport. 

7  God  of  hosts,  restore  us  ; 
Let  Thy  presence  give  light, 

For  we  then  shall  be  saved. 


PSALM   LXXX.  201 

8  A  vine  didst  Thou  bring  out  of  Egypt, 
Didst  thrust  out  the  nations,  and  plant  it; 

9  Before  it  Thou  madest  large  room ; 

Its  roots  struck  deep,  and  it  filled  up  the  land. 

10  By  its  shade  the  mountains  were  covered, 
By  its  branches,  the  cedars  of  God ; 

11  Its  boughs  it  sent  out  to  the  sea, 
Its  fresh  roots  to  the  river. 

12  Oh,  why  didst  Thou  break  down  its  hedges, 

So  that  all  may  pluck  it  that  pass  by  the  way?  — 

13  Torn  up  by  the  boar  of  the  wood, 
Eaten  off  by  the  brood  of  the  field. 

14  God  of  Israel,  return,  we  beseech  Thee ; 
From  heaven  look  down  and  behold, 

Give  Thy  care  to  this  vine ; 

15  What  Thy  right  hand  has  planted,  protect, 
The  son  Thou  mad'st  strong  for  Thyself. 

1 6  Burnt  with  fire,  swept  away, 

At  the  frown  on  Thy  face  they  must  perish. 

17  Hold  Thy  hand  over  the  man  of  Thy  right  hand, 
The  one  born  of  mankind, 

Over  him  Thou  mad'st  strong  for  Thyself. 

1 8  That  from  Thee  we  may  not  fall  away, 
Oh,  give  us  new  life, 

And  thus  on  Thy  Name  will  we  call : 

19  "  Jehovah,  God  of  Hosts, 
Let  Thy  presence  give  light, 

For  we  then  shall  be  saved." 

(4)  Threaten.  Heb.  smoke  against,  moment  dropped,  as  in  ver.  17  it  is 
See  Ixxiv.  i,xviii.  8  ;  Deut.  xxix.  20.  entirely  abandoned,  and  Israel,  as 
"  But  the  figure  is  bolder  here  than  the  son  of  God,  becomes  the  sub- 
in  the  other  passages,  as  it  is  applied  ject.  The  Divine  utterance  at  the 
immediately  to  God  Himself'"1  —  Pe-  time  of  the  transplantation  of  the 
roivne.  vine,  which  explains  both  verses,  is 

(6)  Have  us  their  sport.  Heb.  Ex.  iv.  23,  "  Israel  is  my  son,  my 

make  us  sport  for  themselves.  firstborn."  —  For  Thyself.  That  is, 

(15)  The  son.  This  might  apply  for  Thine  own  possession  and  use. 

to  the  vine,  as  in  Gen.  xlix.  22;  but  The  verb  ^immets,  madest  strong,so 

more  probably  the  figure  is  for  the  followed,  includes  selection,  seizure, 


202  THE   PSALMS. 

and  appropriation,  as  in   Is.   xliv.  expressed ;  see  ex.  i.     The  Targum 

14.     Delitzsch  translates  it  "Thou  gives  here,  "  over  the  king  Messiah 

hast  chosen."  whom  Thou  didst  establish  for  Thy- 

(17^  Hold  Thy  hand  over.   Heb.  self."      There   may  be  an  allusion 

let  Tny  hand  come  to  be  over.     The  to  Israel,  exalted  to  a  place  of  high 

connection  with  ver.  15  indicates  the  privilege  and  dignity,  as  the  nation 

reference  to  the  vine  planted  by  God's  from  whom  one  higher  than  the  kings 

right  hand,  rather  than  at  God's  right  of  the  earth  should  descend;  but  the 

hand  as  a  place  of  high  dignity  and  passage  cannot  be  considered  directly 

power,  which  is  elsewhere  differently  Messianic. 


LXXXI. 

THE  FEAST   OF  THE   PASSOVER. 

'T^HERE  can  be  no  doubt  that  the  feast  referred  to  in  ver.  5  is  the  Pass- 
J-      over,  as  the  one  which  begins  with  the  full  moon  of  the  month  Nisan, 
and  as  connected  with  the  new  moon  of  the  same  month,  which  was  the 
first  day  of  the  sacred  new  year. 

1.  A  summons  to  the  whole  congregation  to  tinite  in  celebrating  the  Divinely  ap- 
pointed festival  (1-5).  2.  A  festival  address  in  "which  God  refers  to  the  mercy 
shown  them  in  Egypt,  and  reminds  them  of  the  solemn  charge  He  then  gave  them 
(5-10).  3.  Tkt frustration  of  His  purpose  by  their  disobedience  and  selfwill  (11, 12). 
4-.  An  earnest  wish  that  even  yet  they  would  return  and  enjoy  His  blessing  (18-16). 

FOR   THE   LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      UPON   THE   GITTITH.      BY   ASAPH. 

1  Shout  for  joy  unto  God ; 

It  is  He  is  our  Strength ; 
Unto  Jacob's  own  God,  shout  aloud. 

2  Raise  a  psalm,  strike  the  timbrel, 

The  sweet  harp,  with  the  lute  of  ten  strings ; 

3  At  the  new  moon  blow  trumpets, 

With  the  moon  at  the  full  on  the  day  of  the  feast. 

4  For  this  is  a  statute  for  Israel, 

A  law  Jacob's  God  had  ordained ; 

5  This  He  appointed  a  witness  in  Jacob, 

When  He  went  through  Mizraim's  land  ; 

(God  speaks?) 
"  I  heard  there  the  speech  of  a  people  I  knew  not ; 

6  His  shoulder  I  removed  from  the  burden, 
And  his  hand  was  relieved  from  the  basket ; 


PSALM   LXXXI.  203 

7  In  distress  didst  thou  cry,  and  I  freed  thee ; 
I  heard  thee  from  the  covert  of  thunder, 

I  proved  thee  by  the  waters  of  Strife. 

8  I  said  to  thee,  '  Hearken,  my  people, 

I  must  witness  against  thee ; 
O  Israel,  if  only  thou  wilt  hear  me ! 

9  Let  no  god  of  the  alien  be  with  thee, 
Nor  worship  the  foreigners'  gods ; 

10  For  I,  Jehovah,  thy  God, 

Brought  thee  up  out  of  Egypt; 
Thy  mouth  open  wide,  —  I  will  fill  it.' 

1 1  But  My  people  obeyed  not  My  voice, 
Even  Israel  refused  Me  submission; 

12  So  I  cast  them  away  in  their  hardness  of  heart, 
To  walk  as  themselves  should  desire. 

13  Oh  that  My  people  would  hear  Me, 
That  Israel  would  walk  in  My  ways  ; 

14  Right  soon  would  I  vanquish  their  foes  ; 

My  hand  would  I  turn  to  destroy  their  oppressors. 

15  Yea,  before  them  the  foes  of  Jehovah  should  crouch, 
That  so  their  own  time  might  continue  forever." 

16  With  the  finest  of  the  wheat  would  He  feed  them, 
And  fill  them  with  honey  from  the  rock. 

(5)  The  text  here  is  very  difficult,  oracular.  This  is  not  singular  in  an 
It  is  condensed,  and  in  some  sense  Asaphic  Psalm.  In  Ps.  1.,  after  in- 
elliptical.  It  is  not  necessary  to  troductory  sentences  by  the  poet, 
suppose  anything  lost,  yet  a  con-  God  Himself  speaks,  and  in  Ps. 
necting  line  between  5  and  6  may  Ixxv.  2,  His  voice  breaks  in  almost 
possibly  have  dropped  away.  The  as  abruptly  as  here,  after  a  single 
"  going  forth  through  the  land  of  introductory  sentence.  The  men- 
Egypt  (Heb.  Mitsraitri)?  as  con-  tion  of  Mizraim  is  the  signal  for  di- 
nected  with  the  preceding  reference  rect  mention  of  what  occurred  there, 
to  the  institution  of  the  Passover,  from  the  lips  of  the  principal  actor, 
must  refer  to  God's  going  forth  It  recalls  the  tones  of  the  voices  He 
through  the  land  on  the  night  of  the  heard  there,  not  necessarily  at  the 
first  Passover,  for  the  destruction  of  time  specified  by  the  poet,  but  as 
the  firstborn.  There  is  then  very  that  to  which  He  referred  when  He 
abruptly,  in  the  middle  of  verse  5,  said  to  Moses,  "  I  have  heard  their 
a  change  from  the  third  person  to  cry  by  reason  of  their  taskmasters  " 
the  first.  We  can  hardly  doubt  that  (Ex.  Hi.  7).  It  is  the  voice  of  these 
it  is  a  Divine  utterance,  direct  and  taskmasters  that  He  then  heard, 


204  THE   PSALMS. 

representing  a  people  that  He  knew  the  rendering  in  the  marg.  of  Rev. 
not,  afflicting  His  people  whom  He  Version,  and  the  only  one  gram- 
knew.  The  mention  of  a  tongue  matically  possible.  The  tense  is 
other  than  that  of  Canaan  is  very  the  imperfect  "  /  was  hearing"  as 
graphic  here ;  for  a  foreign  tongue  if  continuously  listening  to  the  harsh 
indicates  a  foreign  people,  strangers  commands  of  the  taskmasters  on  the 
to  Israel,  and  strangers  to  God.  one  hand,  and  the  outcries  of  the 
(5)  I  heard  there  the  speech  of  suffering  Israelites  on  the  other. 
a  people  I  knew  not.  The  word  It  tells  the  whole  story,  without  sup- 
s'phath,  speech,  literally  lip,  is  a  plying  the  particulars  to  those  who 
construct  form,  preceding  a  genitive  knew  them  so  well.  There  is  no 
clause  ;  that  is,  a  relative  clause  with  reason  why  another  sentence  should 
the  relative  pronoun  suppressed,  not  immediately  relate  the  whole 
See  note  on  xvi.  3,  and  Ges.  Gram,  tale  of  deliverance,  and  with  equal 
§  116,  3.  It  is  not  "  a  language  that  brevity,  — "  His  shoulder  I  removed 
/ knew  not"  but  " the  language  of  from  the  burden,  and  his  hand  was 
(those  whom)  I  knew  not"  This  is  relieved  from  the  basket." 


LXXXII. 

THE  JUDGE  OF  ALL  THE  EARTH. 

THIS  Psalm  has  reference  to  some  time  of  great  judicial  corruption. 
"  Asaph,  the  seer,   beholds  how   God,   reproving,   correcting,   and 
threatening,  appears  against  the  chiefs  of  the  congregation  of  His  people, 
who  have  perverted  the  lustre  of  the  majesty  He  has  put  upon  them,  into 
tyranny."  —  Delitzsch. 

1.  God  comes  forward,  censuring  and  admonishing  (1-4)-  2.  He  declares  the  in- 
effectiveness of  correction,  and  their  overthrow  and  ruin  (5-7).  8.  The  poet  prays 
that  the  Divine  judgment  thus  expressed  may  be  realized  (8). 

A   PSALM   OF  ASAPH. 

1  God  stands  in  the  assembly  of  the  mighty, 
In  the  midst  of  the  gods  He  is  Judge  ; 

2  "  How  long  shall  your  judgment  be  wrongful? 
How  long  will  ye  favour  the  face  of  the  wicked  ? 

3  Let  the  wretched  and  orphan  have  justice ; 
Give  their  right  to  the  suffering  and  poor ; 

4  Deliver  the  wretched  and  needy, 

Set  them  free  from  the  wicked  man's  hand. 

5  But  they  know  not,  discern  not, 

They  are  walking  in  darkness ; 
The  foundations  of  the  earth  are  all  trembling.; 


PSALM   LXXXIII.  205 

6  I  Myself  have  said,  *  Ye  are  gods, 

Ye  are  all  sons  of  God,  the  Most  High; ' 

7  Yet  like  men  shall  ye  die, 

Ye  shall  each  of  you  perish  like  one  of  the  princes." 

8  Arise  and  give  judgment,  O  God,  in  the  earth, 
For  by  rightful  possession  all  nations  are  Thine. 

(8)  Possession.  The  words  in-  sess  and  possession,  and  the  latter 
herit  and  inheritance  are  less  suita-  give  the  primary  and  proper  mean- 
ble  in  connection  with  God  than  pos-  ing  of  the  Hebrew  words. 


LXXXIII. 


GOD   INVOKED  TO  TAKE  PART  IN  THE  CONFLICT. 

THIS  is  the  last  of  the  twelve  Psalms  of  Asaph  in  the  Psalter.     It  prob- 
ably has  its  historical  place  before  the  victory  of  Jehoshaphat  over 
the  allied  forces  of  the   Moabites,  Ammonites,  and  their  confederates, 
described  in  2  Chron.  xx. 

1.  A  cry  to  God  to  arise  against  those  who  have  combined  for  the  destruction  of 
Israel  (1-4)-  %•  The  confederates  are  enumerated  (5-8).  3.  (Part  ii.  of  the  Psalm) 
An  appeal  to  God  to  visit  them  with  the  same  disgrace  ana  overthrow  inflicted  for- 
merly on  such  foes  (9-12).  £.  An  entreaty  that  tfiey  may  be  utterly  dispersed  and 
brought  to  shame  (13-16).  5.  A  wish  that  in  their  downfall  they  may  seek  Jehovah, 
and  that  all  the  earth  may  know  and  adore  Him  (17,  18). 

A  SONG.      A  PSALM   OF  ASAPH. 

1  O  God,  keep  not  silence  ; 

Hold  not  Thy  peace,  nor  refrain  Thee,  O  God  ; 

2  For,  behold,  Thine  enemies  rage, 
And  Thy  foes  lift  their  head. 

3  Against  Thine  own  people  they  craftily  plot, 
They  conspire  against  those  Thou  hast  hid. 

4  They  say,  "  Come ;  cut  them  off  as  a  people  ; 
Let  Israel's  name  be  remembered  no  more." 

5  For  they  plan  with  one  mind, 

Against  THEE,  they  are  in  covenant  bound  ; 


206  THE   PSALMS. 

6  The  encampments  of  Edom  and  Ishmael, 
Of  the  Hagarenes  and  Moab. 

7  Gebal  and  Ammon  and  Amalek, 
Philistia  and  the  households  of  Tyre ; 

8  Yea,  Assyria  has  joined  them, 

Helping  forward  the  children  of  Lot.  [Selah.] 

9  Do  to  these  as  Thou  didst  unto  Midian, 

As  to  Sisera,  and  Jabin  at  the  torrent  of  Kishon ; 

10  They  were  smitten  at  Endor, 

And  became  as  dung  for  the  ground ; 

1 1  Make  their  nobles  like  Oreb  and  Zeeb, 
Their  princes  like  Zeba  and  Zalmun; 

12  Who  said,  "Let  us  take  in  possession 
The  pastures  of  God/' 

13  Make  them,  my  God,  like  the  dust  in  its  whirl, 
Like  the  chaff  that  is  chased  by  the  wind ; 

14  As  fire  burns  the  forest, 

As  mountains  are  kindled  by  flame, 

15  Even  so  with  Thy  tempest  pursue, 

With  the  sweep  of  Thy  whirlwind  confound  them  ; 

1 6  Fill  their  face  with  confusion, 

That  Thy  Name  they  may  seek,  O  Jehovah. 

17  Be  they  shamed  and  confounded  together, 
Yea,  abashed  and  destroyed. 

1 8  Let  them  know  that  Thou  only, 

Whose  Name  is  Jehovah, 
Art  God  the  Most  High, 

That  shall  rule  the  whole  earth. 

(3)  Those  Thou  hast  hid.     That     enemy   cannot   find   them.      Comp. 
is,  those  who  are  under  God's  gra-    xvii.  8,  xxvii.  5,  xxxi.  20,  xci.  I. 
cious  protection,  placed  where  the 


PSALM   LXXXIV.  207 

LXXXIV. 

LONGING  FOR  THE   HOUSE  OF  GOD. 

THE  Psalm  is  attributed  by  its  title  to  the  Korahite  band  of  Levitical 
singers.  It  is  clearly  connected  with  Psalms  xlii.  xliii.,  and  like  them 
it  belongs  to  the  flight  of  David  before  Absalom.  The  poet  probably 
speaks  as  from  the  soul  of  David  (Hengstenberg).  "  It  is  all  through  a 
tender  and  fervent  expression  of  love  for  the  sanctuary  of  God,  —  of  love 
which  yearns  in  the  distance  to  return  to  it,  and  pronounces  all  that  have 
their  home  there  happy."  —  Delitzsch. 

1.  His  personal  affection  and  intense  longing  for  the  house  and  worship  of  God 
(1,  2).  2.  The  birds  find  quiet  and  safety  there ;  and  how  blest  the  men  whose 
privilege  of  worship  is  never  interrupted  (3,  4).  3.  The  pilgrim  band  coming  from 
their  distant  homes  to  the  yearly  festival  in  Zion  (5-8).  4.  Prayer  and  praise  with 
strong  confidence  in  the  power  and  grace  of  God  (9-12). 

1  How  lovely  Thy  dwellings, 
O  Jehovah  of  hosts  ! 

2  My  soul  longs,  yea,  it  pants 

For  the  courts  of  Jehovah ; 
My  heart  and  my  flesh  cry  aloud 
To  the  God  that  has  life. 

3  Yea,  the  bird  finds  a  home,  the  swallow  a  nest, 

Where  she  putteth  her  young, 
At  Thine  altars,  Jehovah  of  hosts, 
My  King  and  my  God. 

4  And  how  blest  are  all  they  that  dwell  in  Thy  house, 
Who  continually  praise  Thee.  [Selah.] 

5  How  blest  are  the  men  whose  strength  is  in  Thee, 
In  whose  heart  are  the  highways  to  Zion ; 

6  As  they  pass  through  the  valley  of  Baca, 

They  fill  it  with  fountains ; 
Yea,  with  blessings  the  early  rainfalls  enrobe  it. 

7  From  strength  to  strength  they  go  forward, 
Till  each  in  Zion  appears  before  God : 

8  "  O  Jehovah,  God  of  hosts,  hear  my  prayer ; 

God  of  Jacob,  give  ear."  [Selah.] 


208 


THE   PSALMS. 


9    O  God,  our  Protector,  behold, 

Yea,  look  on  the  face  of  Thine  anointed; 

10  For  a  day  in  Thy  courts  is  better  than  a  thousand ; 

I  choose  rather  the  threshold  in  the  house  of  my  God, 
Than  to  dwell  in  the  tents  of  the  wicked. 

1 1  For  Jehovah  God  is  a  sun  and  a  shield, 
Jehovah  gives  favour  and  glory; 

From  the  blameless  in  life, 

He  withholds  no  good  thing. 

12  Jehovah  of  hosts, 

How  blest  is  the  man  whose  trust  is  in  Thee ! 


(2)  Cry  aloud.     Heb.  ranan,  to 
utter  a  clear,  ringing  sound  j  usu- 
ally, of  the  voice  raised   in  joyful 
shouting  or  singing ;  but  here  a  cry 
of  suffering  and  intense  desire,  as  in 
Lam.  ii.  19,  "Arise,  cry  out  in  the 
night,  lift  up  thy  hands  for  the  life 
of  thy  young  children."  —  The  God 
that  has  life.     N  ot  merely  of  God 
as  living,  in  contrast  with  dead  idols, 
but  of  God  as  having  in  Himself  the 
absolute  potential  life,  from  which 
all  life  proceeds,  for  which  he  thirsts, 
and  without  which  he  must  perish. 
See  xlii.  2,  and  the  note  there,  also 
Ixiii.  i. 

(3)  The  bird.  Heb.  tsippor.  The 
word  is  imitative,  a  chirper,  or  twit- 
ter er.     It  is  used  of  birds  of  e very- 
kind;  Gen.  xv.  10,  of  doves  and  pi- 
geons ;  and  more  generally  in  Gen. 
vii.  14,  Lev.  xiv.  4-22,  and  Ps.  viii. 
9,  etc.;  even  birds  of  prey  in  Ezek. 
xxxix.   4.      It    refers    here    to    the 
smaller  birds  that  abound  near  the 
habitations  of  men,  but  not  exclu- 
sively, if  at  all,  to  the  sparrow.  — 
At  Thine  altars.     The  birds  need 
not  be  thought  of  as  having  access 
to  the  interior  of  the  sanctuary.    On 
that  subject  there  are  different  opin- 
ions.    The  altar,  as  the  most  impor- 
tant feature  in  the  mind  of  the  poet, 
may  stand  for  the  whole  edifice,  and 
its   precincts.      Hengstenberg    and 
Delitzsch  think  that  actual  birds  are 
not  intended,  but  that  we  have  here 


a  bold  metaphorical  description  of 
the  Psalmist  and  his  family,  as  the 
bird  and  its  young.  But  it  is  not 
probable  that  he  would  so  completely 
bury  himself  in  a  figure  that  not  one 
reader  out  of  ten  thousand  would 
discover  his  meaning.  Especially 
the  verb  mdtsa  (K¥D),  in  the  perfect 
tense,  is  decisive  against  the  suppo- 
sition that  he  refers  to  himself.  For 
it  includes  with  the  finding  a  home, 
its  present  occupation  and  enjoy- 
ment, and  such  reference  is  not  con- 
sistent with  his  exile  and  suffering 
as  just  described.  —  " Thine  altars'"1 
is  preceded  in  the  Hebrew  by  the 
particle  "*eth,  which  indicates  illustra- 
tive apposition,  and  defines  the  place 
of  building  more  precisely;  as  in 
Deut.  i.  22,  "that  they  may  bring  us 
word  (^eth  hadde'reK)  by  w'hat  way." 
This  precludes  our  finding  here  an 
exclamation,  as  if  an  optative  parti- 
cle preceded,  "oh  for  Thine  altars," 
or  a  particle  of  lamentation,  "alas 
for,"  as  several  of  the  older  inter- 
preters. Nor  need  we  suppose  that 
important  words  have  been  lost  from 
the  text,  for  the  supply  of  which 
Cheyne,  following  Mendelsohn,  sug- 

fests,  "  (so  have  I  found,  even  I,  a 
ome)  at  Thine  altars,"  as  if  the  un- 
mutilated  text  had  contained  a  for- 
mal comparison.  The  poet  does  not 
seem  to  have  had  in  mind  either 
likeness  or  contrast,  as  between  him- 
self and  the  birds.  There  is  indeed 


PSALM   LXXXV. 


209 


underlying  the  surface  a  sad  con- 
sciousness of  separation  from  the 
place  he  loves  more  than  all  others 
upon  the  earth,  which  might  easily 
« burst  forth  into  envy  of  the  birds  in 
ver.  3,  and  the  men  in  ver.  5.  But 
it  is  suppressed.  He  is  only  seek- 
ing some  solace  in  his  banishment 
by  calling  up  before  him  a  picture 
of  his  lost  joys.  The  particle  gam, 
yea,  at  the  beginning  of  ver.  3  is 
simply  confirmative  of  his  first  out- 
cry, "  How  lovely  Thy  dwellings  !  " 
Even  the  birds  find  there  a  quiet  and 
protected  home,  where  they  need 
fear  no  rude  interruption  of  their  joy. 
He  seems  almost  to  personify  these 
nest-builders,  as  if  they  were  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  strongest  feelings  of 
his  own  heart,  in  finding  a  special  at- 
tractiveness in  this  favoured  spot. 
He  then  passes  in  ver.  4  from  the 
exterior  to  the  interior,  —  from  the 
bird  that  cherishes  her  callow  brood 
in  the  trees  within  the  sacred  en- 
closure (Perowne),  or  on  the  pro- 
jecting ledges  of  the  sanctuary,  to 
the  men,  his  own  former  compan- 
ions, who  dwell  in  God's  house  and 
are  always  praising  Him.  This  is 
all  in  contrast  with  his  own  forlorn 
condition.  But  a  direct  reference  to 
himself  would  interrupt  the  continu- 
ity of  thought,  as  he  now  passes  on, 
and  in  ver.  5  pronounces  those  hap- 
py who  come  up  annually  to  the 
Divinely  appointed  feasts  of  Zion. 
(6)  The  valley  of  Baca.  The 
name  means  'weeping,  and  is  derived 
from  a  species  of  balsam,  from  which 
when  wounded  a  fluid  gum  issues 


like  tears  from  the  eye.  There  are 
several  valleys  of  that  name  in  the 
Holy  Land,  in  which  these  trees  a- 
bound,  and  which  are  remarkable 
for  their  arid  and  barren  soil.  The 
conclusion  of  the  sentence  shows 
that  this  feature  is  referred  to,  rather 
than  the  meaning  of  the  name  Baca. 
Their  pathway  lies  through  regions 
naturally  sterile  and  uninviting.  It 
is  not  necessary  that  we  should  think 
of  any  single  actual  valley  known  by 
that  name  as  the  one  intended.  "The 
words  are  a  figurative  expression  of 
the  thought  that  the  Divine  blessing 
accompanies  them  everywhere,  and 
supplies  the  means  by  which  they 
are  refreshed  on  their  journey,  and 
so  strengthened  that  they  become 
neither  faint  nor  languid,  but  even 
stronger  as  they  advance.  The  val- 
ley through  which  they  are  advanc- 
ing becomes  green  meadows  and  pas- 
tures, and  fruitful  fields,  by  springs 
and  rain."  —  Moll. 

(9)  Our    Protector.      Heb.    our 
shield. 

(10)  I  choose  rather  the  thresh- 
old.     The   verb   form    histopheph, 
used  only  here,  is  derived  from  the 
noun   saph,  a  threshold,  and  means 
to  put  one's  self  at  the  threshold,  as 
a  place  within  God's  house,  but  the 
most    remote    and    least    desirable. 
The  position   of  doorkeeper  in  the 
temple  was  very  honourable,  and  is 
expressed  by  another  word. 

(n)  The  blameless  in  life.  Heb. 
those  that  walk  blamelessly;  the 
walk  in  Old  Test,  usage  is  the  life 
in  its  activity. 


LXXXV. 


COME  TO   US   AGAIN,   O   GOD. 

THIS  Psalm  seems  to  belong  to  the  period  after  the  captivity  in  Babylon. 
Yet  this  is  not  certain,  for  the  term  "  captivity  "  (or  captives)  in  ver.  1 
may  be  only  a  figure  of  some  great  distress,  and  God's  bringing  back  the 
captives,  of  relief  from  that  distress,  as  in  Job.  xlii.  10. 


210  THE   PSALMS. 

1.  A  retrospect  of  former  mercy  (1-3).  2.  Prayer  for  renewed  manifestation  of 
God's  favour  under  present  suffering  (£-7).  3.  The  intention  declared  of  listening 
to  what  God  now  shall  say  (8-10).  4"  The  certainty  of  rich  blessings  in  the  future  is 
joyfully  proclaimed  (11-13). 

TO   THE   LEADER   OF    THE   CHOIR.      BY   THE   SONS   OF   KORAH.      A   PSALM. 

1  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  didst  favour  Thy  land, 
Didst  return  to  the  captives  of  Judah; 

2  Didst  pardon  the  guilt  of  Thy  people, 
Didst  forgive  all  their  sin ; 

3  Didst  withdraw  all  Thy  wrath, 

And  turn  from  the  heat  of  Thine  anger. 

4  Our  God  of  salvation,  come  to  us  again, 
And  let  cease  Thy  grievous  displeasure. 

5  Wilt  Thou  alway  be  wrathful, 

And  Thine  anger  prolong  to  all  generations? 

6  Wilt  Thou  not  Thine  own  self  restore  us  to  life, 
That  Thy  people  may  be  joyful  in  Thee? 

7  Give  us  sight  of  Thy  merciful  kindness,  Jehovah, 
And  bestow  Thy  salvation  upon  us. 

8  I  will  hear  what  God  Jehovah  will  speak ; 

He  will  surely  speak  peace  to  His  people,  His  beloved, 
Not  again  let  them  turn  unto  folly. 

9  Yea,  indeed,  His  salvation  is  nigh  them  that  fear  Him, 
That  glory  may  dwell  in  our  land. 

10  Lovingkindness  and  truth  meet  together, 
Justice  and  peace  have  embraced  one  another. 

1 1  Truth  shall  spring  forth  from  the  earth, 
And  justice  look  down  out  of  heaven ; 

12  Yea,  every  good  thing  Jehovah  will  give, 
And  our  land  shall  yield  us  its  increase. 

13  Before  Him  goeth  justice, 

And  shall  follow  the  way  of  His  steps. 

(8)  His    people,    His   beloved.  (13)  Shall  follow  the  way.    Heb. 

The  connective  particle  here  is  vav  shall  set  to  the  way.     The  verb  sim, 

explicative ;  not  and,  but  even,  ex-  to  set,  is  probably  for  sim  leb,  set  the 

hibiting  apposition.  mind  to,  give  heed  to,  as  in  Job.  iv. 


PSALM  LXXXVI.                                    211 

20.     The  general  sense  is  that  right-  reference  to  righteousness    among 

eousness  as  the  principal  character-  men,  who  shall  prepare  for  His  com- 

istic  of  His  rule  shall  precede  and  ing  by  turning  to  righteousness,  and 

follow    Him,    conspicuously    mani-  in  their  righteous  deeds  shall  follow 

fested  in  connection  with  every  Di-  in    the    footsteps    of    Jehovah,  the 

vine  activity.     There  may  be  some  Righteous. 


LXXXVI. 

PRAYER  UNDER   PERSECUTION. 

THE  ascription  to  David  in  the  title  cannot  be  maintained.     The  struct- 
ure and  style  indicate  a  later  origin.     It  can  only  be  called  a  prayer 
of  David  as  expressing  the  spirit  of  some  of  his  supplicatory  Psalms.     It 
abounds  in  loosely  connected  passages  out  of  the  book  of  the  law  and 
the  earlier  Psalms,  and  is  liturgical,  rather  than  poetic. 

1.  Various  invocations  and  entreaties  (1-7).  2.  A  strain  of  adoration  (8-10). 
S.  Prayer  for  direction,  which  the  poet  gratefully  promises  to  follow  (11-13). 
4.  Prayer  for  deliverance  from  enemies  (14-17). 

A   PRAYER.      BY   DAVID. 

1  Turn  Thine  ear,  and  answer  me,  Jehovah, 
For  I  am  suffering  and  needy. 

2  Preserve  Thou  my  soul,  for  I  am  one  whom  Thou  lovest ; 
Save  Thou,  my  God,  Thy  servant  that  trusteth  in  Thee. 

3  O  Lord,  show  me  pity, 

For  I  cry  to  Thee  all  the  day  long. 

4  Give  joy  to  the  soul  of  Thy  servant, 

For,  O  Lord,  unto  Thee  do  I  lift  up  my  soul ; 

5  For  Thou,  Lord,  art  good,  and  ready  to  pardon, 
And  of  great  lovingkindness  to  all  that  invoke  Thee. 

6  O  Jehovah,  give  ear  to  my  prayer, 
Attend  to  my  suppliant  cry. 

7  In  my  day  of  sore  trouble  I  call  Thee, 
For  Thou  givest  me  answer ; 

8  With  Thee,  O  Lord,  not  one  of  the  gods  can  compare, 
And  no  works  are  like  Thine. 

9  All  the  nations  Thou  madest  shall  come, 

And  shall  worship  before  Thee,  O  Lord, 
To  Thy  Name  giving  glory ; 


212  THE   PSALMS. 

10  Because  Thou  art  great  and  doest  wonders; 
Thou,  and  Thou  only,  art  God. 

1 1  Teach  me  Thy  way,  O  Jehovah ; 

I  would  walk  in  Thy  truth ; 
Unite  my  heart  in  the  fear  of  Thy  Name. 

12  With  all  my  heart  do  I  thank  Thee,  O  God; 
To  Thy  Name  I  give  glory  forever. 

13  For  Thy  great  lovingkindness  is  over  me; 
Thou  hast  rescued  my  soul 

From  the  depth  of  the  world  underneath 

14  The  proud  rise  against  me,  O  God; 
A  violent  band  are  seeking  my  life, 

And  have  not  set  Thee  before  them. 

1 5  But  Thou,  Lord,  art  God, 

Gracious  and  full  of  compassion, 
Long  suffering,  abundant  in  kindness  and  truth. 

1 6  Oh,  turn  to  me  in  pity; 

Give  Thy  strength  to  Thy  servant, 

And  save  the  son  of  Thy  handmaid. 

17  Show  me  a  token  for  good, 

That  mine  enemies  may  see,  and  with  shame, 
That  Thou,  O  Jehovah, 

Hast  helped  and  consoled  me. 

(13)  The  depth  of  the -world  un-  but  the  spirit- world  is  described  as 

derneath.     Heb.  Sheol underneath  ;  below  the  surface  of  the  earth.    See 

not  the  lowest  Sheol,  as  if  it  were  note  at  vi.  15. 
divided  into  a  higher  and  a  lower, 


LXXXVII. 

ZION  THE  BIRTHPLACE   OF  NATIONS. 

WE  have  here  a  glorious  exhibition  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Messiah,  as 
covering  the  whole  earth,  but  having  its  beginning  and  permanent 
centre  at  Jerusalem.     The  keynote  is  verse  9  of  the  preceding  Psalm  :  — 

"  All  the  nations  Thou  madest  shall  come, 

And  shall  worship  before  Thee,  O  Lord  ; » 


PSALM   LXXXVII.  213 

which  is  itself  an  echo  of  xxii.  27  in  the  earlier  worship  of  Israel :  — 

"  All  the  bounds  of  the  earth 

Shall  remember  and  turn  to  Jehovah  ; 
All  the  families  of  nations 

Shall  worship  before  Him." 

Several  representative  nations  are  mentioned,  not  as  subjugated  enemies, 
but  as  highly  honoured  members  of  the  household  of  God,  in  fellowship 
with  Israel,  and  entitled  to  look  with  joyful  pride  to  Zion  as  their  birth- 
place and  spiritual  home.  This  is  connected  with  a  Divine  declaration  in 
verses  3  and  4  that  they  shall  enjoy  this  great  distinction.  Its  central 
thought  is  presented  so  boldly  and  concisely  that  it  might  be  obscure  were 
it  not  illuminated  by  other  prophecies,  especially  Is.  ii.  2-4,  xi.  10-18,  xix. 
18-25,  xlv.  14.  The  regenerative  grace  which  shall  bring  all  nationalities 
of  the  earth  into  the  most  intimate  and  exalting  relation  with  God,  is  ever 
represented  as  issuing  from  Zion,  the  city  of  the  Great  King. 

1.  God's  love  to  Zion  in  view  of  her  glorious  future,  as  secured  by  His  promise (1-3). 
2.  The  promise  is  given.  She  represents  to  the  heart  of  God  a  redeemed  world. 
Every  nation  shall  trace  his  birth  to  her,  and  has  his  name  upon  her  register  of 
the  sons  of  God,  and  this  in  permanency  (£-6).  3.  The  joy  of  the  nations  in  her 
fountains  of  blessing  are  celebrated  in  song  and  dance  (7). 

BY   THE   SONS   OF   KORAH.      A  PSALM.      A   SONG. 

1  On  His  holy  hills  He  laid  His  foundation ; 

2  And  Jehovah  loveth  the  gateways  of  Zion, 
More  than  all  the  dwellings  of  Jacob. 

3  Glorious  things  of  Thee  have  been  spoken, 

Thou  city  of  our  God :  [Selah.] 

4  "  Rahab  and  Babel  I  proclaim  as  my  friends ; 
Lo,  Tyre  and  Philistia  with  Cush, 

It  is  here  they  were  each  of  them  born. 

5  Yea,  of  Zion  shall  be  said, 

That  in  her  they  were  born,  each  and  all; 
The  Most  High  will  Himself  keep  her  firm. 

6  Jehovah  will  count,  in  enrolling  the  nations, 

That  this  one  was  born  there."  [Selah.] 

7  And  singers  with  dancers  shall  greet  her, 
"  All  my  springs  are  in  thee." 

(2)  The  gateways  of  Zion.  redeemed,  whether  nations  or  indi- 
These  have  special  mention  because  viduals,  shall  come  before  God  as 
through  them,  in  all  the  future,  the  His  people. — Jehovah  loveth.  The 


214  THE   PSALMS. 

participle  of  the  verb  ^ahab,  to  love,  (7)  Greet  her.     Supplied  by  the 

is  used,  as  expressing  in  the  Hebrew  translator.     The  words  of  the  song 

idiom   a  permanence   which  is  not  follow,  and  unquestionably  relate  to 

conveyed  by  either  tense.  Zion.     The  singers  and  dancers  are 

(3)  Have  been  spoken,  or  prom-  the  leaders   in  a  procession  of  re- 
ised.     Here  also  the  participial  form  deemed    Gentiles,   representing   the 
m'dubbar,  as  concrete,  expresses  per-  peoples  mentioned  in  ver.  4  ;  Egypt, 
manence.  by  its  prophetic  name  Rahab  (see 

(4)  I  proclaim.     Lit.  /  cause  to  Ixxxix.  10),  the  world  power  on  the 
be  remembered;    but  it  denotes  in  south,  and  Babylon  northward ;  rich 
usage  a  public  and  solemn  announce-  and  proud  Tyre,  warlike  Philistia, 
ment.     Here  God  is  the  speaker.  —  and  Ethiopia,  "  the  land  shadowing 
Each  of  them.     Heb.  this  one,  as  if  with  wings,"  more  remote  than  the 
pointing  them  out  one  by  one.  rest;  Is.  xviii.     These  in  their  turn 

(5)  Each  and  all.     Lit.  man  and  represent  the  whole  world,  as  brought 
man;  a  Hebrew  idiom  for  each  and  into  fellowship  with  the  living  and 
every  one.  true  God,  through  the  gracious  influ- 

(6)  In    enrolling    the    nations,  ences  that  proceed  from  His  dwell- 
Compare  Is.   iv.    3.      "  Every  one  ing-place  in  Zion. 

that  is  inscribed  unto  life." 


LXXXVIII. 

DEEP  DESPONDENCY. 

THE  gloomiest  prayer  in  the  Psalter ;  even  more  so  than  Ps.  Ixxvii.,  and 
in  marked  contrast  with  the  cheerfulness  of  Ixxxvii.  The  exhibition 
of  this  picture  indicates  that  periods  of  affliction  sometimes  occur  in  human 
experience  during  which  for  an  indefinite  time  the  sufferer  will  accept  no 
comfort.  He  seems  to  find  his  only  satisfaction  in  dwelling  upon  his  mis- 
ery, as  if  in  love  with  darkness  bordering  on  despair. 

1.  Various  complaints  (1-9).     2.  Expostulations,  and  wrestling  with  God,  showing 
that  hope  was  not  abandoned,  but  ending  in  gloom  (10-18). 

A  SONG.  A  PSALM  OF  THE  SONS  OF  KORAH.  FOR  THE  LEADER  OF 
THE  CHOIR.  SET  TO  "MAHALATH  LEANNOTH."  MASKIL  OF  HEMAN, 
THE  EZRAHITE. 

1  O  Jehovah,  my  God  of  salvation, 

As  by  day,  so  I  cry  in  the  night-time  before  Thee; 

2  Let  my  prayer  reach  Thy  presence, 
Turn  Thine  ear  to  my  wailing. 

3  For  sore  evils  have  sated  my  soul, 

And  my  life  draws  near  to  the  regions  of  death  ; 

4  I  am  counted  with  those  that  go  down  to  the  pit, 
And  become  like  a  man  whose  strength  is  all  gone ; 


PSALM    LXXXVIII.  215 

5  Set  free  with  the  dead,  that  lie  in  the  grave, 

Whom  no  more  Thou  rememberest,  — 
With  those  cut  off  from  Thy  hand, 

6  In  the  nethermost  pit  hast  Thou  laid  me, 

In  the  abodes  of  darkness  and  depths  of  the  sea. 

7  I  am  heavily  pressed  by  Thy  wrath, 

And  all  Thy  great  waves  bear  me  down.  [Selah.] 

8  Away  from  me  far  hast  Thou  put  mine  acquaintance, 
Thou  hast  made  them  abhor  me, 

As  a  prisoner  who  cannot  come  forth. 

9  Mine  eye  wasteth  through  suffering; 

0  Jehovah,  I  call  on  Thee  daily, 

And  to  Thee  do  I  stretch  forth  my  hands. 

10  Shall  Thy  wonders  be  wrought  for  the  dead? 
Shall  the  shades  rise  and  praise  Thee? 

1 1  Shall  Thy  kindness  be  told  in  the  grave, 
Or  Thy  faithfulness  shown  in  destruction? 

12  Shall  Thy  wonders  be  known  in  the  darkness, 
And  Thy  righteousness  told  in  oblivion's  land? 

13  But  I,  O  Jehovah,  unto  Thee  do  I  cry ; 

In  the  morning  my  prayer  comes  before  Thee. 

14  Why,  O  Jehovah,  wilt  Thou  cast  off  my  soul, 
And  why  hide  Thy  face  from  my  sight? 

15  From  my  youth  I  am  wretched  and  dying; 

1  suffer  Thy  terrors,  my  senses  must  fail. 

1 6  Thy  hot  wrath  overwhelms, 
Thy  terrors  destroy  me. 

17  All  the  day  long  they  surround  me  like  waters, 
All  at  once  they  come  circling  about  me ; 

1 8  Thou  hast  put  far  off  from  me  lover  and  friend, 
Mine  acquaintance  —  I  have  but  the  darkness. 


2l6  THE   PSALMS. 

LXXXIX. 

PLEADING  THE   PROMISE  TO   DAVID. 

A   THOROUGHLY  national  song.     It  is  probably  connected  histori- 
cally with  the  defeat  of  Rehoboam  (i  Kings  xiv.  25  ff . ;  2  Chron.  xii. 
i  ff.)  by  Shishak  (Sheshonk  I.). 

Part  I.  (a)  1.  The  poet  celebrates  the  covenant  with  David  as  faithful  and  sure 
(1-4).  2.  The  power  and  faithfulness  of  God  (5-12}.  3.  The  mercy  and  truth  of 
God  (13-18).  (b)  1.  He  recounts  God's  promise  to  David  personally  (19-28). 
2.  His  promise  to  his  seed  after  him  (29-37).  Part  II.  1.  A  dark  picture  of  the 
Present  reverse  (38-^5).  2.  Earnest  expostulation  (j.6-51).  A  Doxology  follows, 
•which  does  not  belong  to  this  particular  Psalm,  but  to  the  Third  Book  of  the  Psalter. 

MASKIL   OF   ETHAN,   THE   EZRAHITE. 

1  Forever  will  I  sing  the  lovingkindness  of  Jehovah, 

And  to  age  after  age  with  my  mouth  Thy  faithfulness  tell  ; 

2  For  I  say,  lovingkindness  is  built  up  forever, 
In  the  heavens,  even  there, 

Wilt  Thou  make  Thy  faithfulness  stand. 

3  "  In  the  covenant  I  made  with  My  chosen, 
I  sware  unto  David  My  servant, 

4  '  Forever  I  establish  thine  offspring, 

And  build  up  thy  throne  to  all  generations.'  "          [Selah.] 

5  Thy  wonders,  Jehovah,  the  heavens  shall  praise, 
And  Thy  truth,  in  the  assembly  of  the  holy ; 

6  For  who  in  the  skies  can  compare  with  Jehovah, 
Who,  with  Jehovah,  of  the  sons  of  the  mighty? 

7  In  the  council  of  the  holy,  He  is  God  very  dreadful, 
To  be  feared  above  all  that  surround  Him  ; 

8  O  Jehovah,  God  of  Hosts, 

Who  is  like  Thee,  Thou  mighty  Jehovah, 
With  Thy  faithfulness  all  round  about  Thee? 

9  It  is  Thine  to  bear  rule  o'er  the  pride  of  the  sea, 

When  the  waves  thereof  rise,  it  is  Thou  that  canst  still  them ; 


PSALM   LXXXIX. 

IO   It  was  Thou  didst  crush  Rahab  as  one  that  is  slain, 
With  Thy  mighty  arm  Thou  hast  scattered  Thy  foes. 


217 


1 1  Thine  are  the  heavens,  and  Thine  is  the  earth, 

It  is  Thou  that  hast  founded  the  world  and  its  fulness ; 

12  The  north  and  the  south,  it  is  Thou  didst  create  them, 
Tabor  and  Hermon  exult  in  Thy  Name. 

13  Thine  is  the  arm  that  has  power; 

Strong  is  Thy  hand,  and  Thy  right  hand  is  high  ; 

14  The  supports  of  Thy  throne  are  justice  and  right, 
Lovingkindness  and  truth  stand  waiting  before  Thee. 

15  How  blest  are  the  people  that  know  the  glad  sound, 
Who  walk,  O  Jehovah,  in  the  light  of  Thy  presence ! 

1 6  All  the  day  long  they  have  joy  in  Thy  Name, 
And  Thy  righteousness  lifts  them  on  high. 

17  For  Thou  art  the  glory  of  their  strength, 
In  Thy  favour  their  horn  is  exalted ; 

1 8  For  our  shield  appertains  to  Jehovah, 
To  the  Holy  One  of  Israel,  our  king. 

19  Thou  hast  once  in  a  vision  assured  Thy  beloved, 

"  I  give  help  to  one  valiant, 
I  have  raised  to  high  place  one  I  chose ; 

20  I  found  David,  My  servant, 

And  him  with  My  holy  oil  I  anointed. 

21  With  him  My  hand  shall  be  steadfast, 
And  Mine  arm  shall  furnish  him  strength. 

22  An  enemy  shall  not  ensnare, 

Nor  a  son  of  injustice  oppress  him ; 

23  For  I  beat  down  before  him  his  foes, 
And  will  smite  those  that  hate  him. 

24  My  truth  and  My  love  shall  be  with  him, 
In  My  Name  shall  his  horn  be  exalted. 

25  His  hand  will  I  set  on  the  sea, 

His  right  hand  shall  rest  on  the  rivers. 


2i 8  THE   PSALMS. 

26  He  shall  call  to  Me,  '  Thou  art  my  Father, 
My  God  and  my  rock  of  salvation ;  ' 

27  And  I,  My  firstborn  will  I  make  him, 
The  Most  High  to  the  kings  of  the  earth. 

28  For  him  will  I  ever  retain  lovingkindness, 
And  with  him  shall  My  covenant  stand  fast ; 

29  I  will  give  to  his  offspring  to  continue  forever, 
And  his  throne  shall  endure  as  the  heavenly  days. 

30  If  his  children  depart  from  My  law, 
In  My  ordinance  walk  not, 

31  My  statutes  profane, 

My  commandments  no  longer  observe,  — 

32  I  will  visit  their  sin  with  the  rod, 
Their  guilt  will  I  punish  with  stripes ; 

33  But  from  him  will  I  never  withhold  lovingkindness, 
And  My  faithfulness  will  not  belie. 

34  My  covenant  I  will  not  profane, 

Nor  alter  the  word  that  goes  forth  from  My  lips ; 

35  This  one  thing  have  I  by  My  holiness  sworn, 
That  surely  I  will  not  deal  falsely  with  David. 

36  His  seed  shall  endure  forever, 

And  His  throne  as  the  sun  in  My  presence; 

37  Like  the  moon  it  shall  ever  be  established, 

And  faithful  is  the  witness  in  the  sky."  [Selah.] 

38  Nevertheless  Thou  hast  spurned  us  with  loathing; 
Thou  art  wroth  with  Thy  anointed ; 

39  Thou  abhorrest  the  covenant  Thou  mad'st  with  Thy  servant, 
Thou  profanest  his  crown  to  the  earth. 

40  Thou  hast  broken  his  hedges  all  down, 
Thou  layest  his  stronghold  in  ruins ; 

41  He  is  plundered  by  all  that  pass  by, 
And  his  neighbours  revile  him. 


PSALM   LXXXIX.  219 

42  The  right  hand  of  his  foes  Thou  exaltest, 
And  hast  made  all  that  hate  him  rejoice ; 

43  The  edge  of  his  sword  Thou  hast  also  turned  back, 
And  hast  not  made  him  stand  in  the  battle. 

44  His  splendour  Thou  hast  brought  to  an  end, 
And  his  throne  hast  cast  down  to  the  earth ; 

45  Thou  hast  shortened  the  days  of  his  youth, 

And  hast  clothed  him  with  shame.  [Selah.] 

46  How  long,  as  if  alway,  wilt  Thou  hide  Thee,  Jehovah? 
How  long  shall  Thy  wrath  burn  like  fire? 

47  Oh,  remember  how  short  is  my  lifetime ; 

For  what  nothing  Thou  Greatest  the  children  of  men. 

48  For  who  is  the  man  that  shall  live  and  not  die, 
Delivering  his  soul  from  the  spirit-world's  power? 

49  Where  are  Thy  first  lovingkindnesses,  Lord, 
Those  sworn  in  Thy  truth  unto  David? 

50  Remember,  O  Lord, 

The  reviling  endured  by  Thy  servants, 
That  I  bear  in  my  bosom  from  all  the  great  nations, 

5 1  Wherewith  those  that  hate  Thee  revile,  O  Jehovah, 
Wherewith  they  revile  Thine  anointed  one's  steps. 

52  Blessed  evermore  be  Jehovah; 

AMEN  and  AMEN. 


(2)  In  the  heavens.     A  symbol  enemies  of  God  as  scattered  by  His 

of  the  unchangeable  and  enduring,  power. 

in   contrast  with   the  unstable  and  (12)  Tabor   and   Hermon.     Mt. 

transient  upon  the  earth.  Tabor  represents   the   east  side  of 

(9)  The  pride  of  the  sea.  As  in  the  Holy  Land,  and  Mt.  Hermon 
xlvi.  3,  Ixv.  7,  and  xciii.  3,  4,  the  the  west  side.  In  connection  with 
power  of  God  in  stilling  the  raging  "the  north  and  the  south,"  in  the 
of  the  sea  symbolizes  His  power  to  preceding  line,  they  fill  out  the  con- 
subdue  the  rebellious  raging  of  the  ception  of  universal  joy  in  the  crea- 
nations.  Its  introduction  is  fitly  tive  and  sustaining  power  of  God. 
followed  in  the  second  line  of  the  (19)  Hast  assured  Thy  beloved. 
couplet  by  the  mention  of  Rahab,  a  Heb.  hhasideka.  See  on  the  word 
prophetic  name  of  Egypt,  and  other  hhasid  at  iv.  3.  The  form  here  is 


22O 


THE   PSALMS. 


plural,  referring  to  Samuel  and  Na- 
than, whose  prophecies  with  respect 
to  David  are  now  combined.  —  To 
one  valiant.  Heb.  gibbor,  prop,  an 
adjective,  mighty.  When  used  as  a 
noun  it  always  refers  to  military 
prowess,  a  warrior  or  hero.  See  on 
xix.  6,  xxiv.  8,  xlv.  3. 

(24)  Shall  his  horn  be  exalted. 
See  note  on  Ixxv.  4. 


(27)  The  Most  High  to  the  kings 
of  the  earth.  Heb.  ^elyon.  As  ap- 
pointed by  God  with  the  assurance 
of  universal  and  everlasting  rule,  and 
sustained  by  Divine  power,  he  repre- 
sents God  in  the  earth. 

(46)  How  long,  as  if  alway.  See 
not-e  on  xiii.  I. 

(48)  The  spirit-world's  power. 
Heb.  the  hand  of  Sheol. 


BOOK    IV. 


XC. 


THE  ETERNAL  GOD  THE  ONLY  REFUGE  FOR  MORTAL  MAN. 

"  rT^HE  Fourth  Book  of  the  Psalms  begins  with  a  prayer  of  Moses,  the 
JL  man  of  God,  which  comes  out  of  the  dying  off  of  the  older  generation 
during  the  march  through  the  wilderness.  There  is  scarcely  any  memorial 
of  antiquity  which  so  brilliantly  justifies  the  testimony  of  antiquity  concern- 
ing its  origin  as  does  this  Psalm.  Not  alone  with  respect  to  its  contents, 
but  with  respect  to  the  form  of  its  language,  it  is  perfectly  suitable  to 
Moses.  Even  Hitzig  can  bring  nothing  against  this  view;  for  the  objection 
that  the  author,  in  ver.  i,  glances  back  upon  past  generations,  whilst  Israel 
was  only  born  in  the  time  of  Moses,  is  removed  by  the  consideration  that 
the  existence  of  Israel  reaches  back  into  patriarchal  times."  —  Delitzsch. 

1.   The  transitoriness  of  man1  s  earthly  life,  contrasted  with  the  eternity  of  God  (1-6), 

2.  The  frailty  and  misery  of  man  the  result  of  God's  wrath  against  sin  (7-12). 

3.  Prayer  for  mercy,  and  perpetual  establishment  in  God's  favour  (13-17). 

A  PRAYER  OF   MOSES,   THE  MAN   OF   GOD. 

1  Lord,  Thou  art  a  home  for  us  in  all  generations : 

2  Ere  the  hills  were  brought  forth, 

Or  yet  Thou  hadst  formed  the  earth  and  the  world, 
Through  the  ages  everlasting  Thou  art  God. 

3  To  the  dust  Thou  restorest  the  mortal ; 
Thou  sayest,  "  Return,  ye  children  of  men." 

4  For  a  thousand  years  in  Thine  eyes, 
Are  like  yesterday's  passing, 

Or  a  watch  in  the  night. 

5  Thou  sweepest  them  off  as  a  flood,  and  they  sleep  • 
They  are  like  grass  that  springs  up  in  the  morning, 


222  THE   PSALMS. 

6  In  the  morning  springs  up,  and  it  blossoms, 
At  eve  is  cut  down,  and  it  withers ; 

7  For  Thine  anger  consumes  us, 
By  Thy  wrath  we  are  dismayed ; 

8  Our  transgressions  Thou  settest  before  Thee, 

In  the  light  of  Thy  presence  the  deeds  we  conceal. 

9  For  all  our  days  turn  away  in  Thy  wrath, 
Our  years  we  pass  off  like  a  sigh. 

10  Threescore  and  ten  are  the  years  of  our  life, 

Or  fourscore  if  strength  should  avail ; 

Yet  their  proudest  are  toilsome  and  vain ; 

For  they  are  soon  cut  off  and  we  fly. 

1 1  But  who  has  yet  learned  the  power  of  Thine  anger, 
And  Thy  wrath  as  measured  by  the  reverence  due  Thee  ? 

12  So  teach  us  to  number  our  days, 

That  our  heart  may  attain  unto  wisdom. 

13  Return,  O  Jehovah;  how  long! 
Have  pity  on  Thy  servants ; 

14  At  the  dawn  with  Thy  kindness  so  fill  us, 

That  throughout  all  our  days  we  may  exult  and  be  glad ; 

15  Make  us  glad  according  to  our  days  of  affliction, 
The  years  in  which  we  see  evil. 

16  Let  Thy  works  be  revealed  to  Thy  servants, 
To  their  children  Thy  glory ; 

17  Let  the  beauty  of  Jehovah  our  God  be  upon  us, 
And  establish  upon  us  the  work  of  our  hands, 

Yea,  establish  the  work  of  our  hands. 

(r)  Art   a   home   for   us.      As  lair  of  wild  beasts.     Here  the  idea 

to  the  verb,  it  is  hayitha,  properly  is  protection  and  rest  from  alarms, 

Thou  hast  become;  not  of  existence,  as  in  Ixxi.  3,  xci.  9. 
but  of  manifestation,  and  of  coming         (2)  Thou   hadst  formed.     Heb. 

historically  into  gracious  relations.  Thou   hadst  given   birth   to.  —  The 

See  on  this  verb,  in  the  note  upon  the  earth  and  the  world.     The  former 

Divine   Name  Jehovah,  i.  2.      The  of  these  words  Berets)  is  the  earth  as 

whole   context   implies  safety  from  material,  the  latter  (tebel},  which  is 

danger.   This  gives  a  colouring  to  the  used  only  in   poetry,  the  earth  as 

noun  ma'dti,  prim,  a  dwelling-place  productive,  filled  with  generative  or- 

of  God  or  man,  or  even  the  den  or  ganisms,  and  so  perhaps  including 


PSALM   XC. 


223 


all  life;  but  especially,  the  world, 
as  inhabited  by  men;  see  ix.  8,  xcvi. 
14.  In  this  use  it  is  equivalent  to 
oiKovpevr],  the  world  as  the  abode 
of  men,  in  Luke  iv.  5 ;  Heb.  i.  6,  ii. 
5,  etc.  —  Through  the  ages  ever- 
lasting. Heb.  from  'olam  to  'olam. 
The  reference  in  the  whole  verse  is 
to  the  time  during  which  the  power 
of  God  carried  on  the  process  of 
creation  as  related  in  the  first  chap- 
ter of  Genesis ;  from  the  first  crea- 
tive act  to  the  advanced  stage  when 
the  mountains  appeared  (see  civ. 
7,  8),  and  then  onward  till  the  work 
was  finished.  So  the  ''oldms  by 
which  measurement  is  made  are 
the  great  days  of  creation,  successive 
immeasurable  periods.  To  short- 
lived man  each  of  them  seems  an 
eternity,  according  to  the  primary 
conception  of  eternity  from  'alam, 
to  hide,  a  period  the  extremities  of 
which  are  hidden  out  of  sight.  In 
the  later  Hebrew,  the  conception 
passed  from  that  of  time  to  things 
existing  in  time,  the  world  in  its  long 
continuance.  SeeEccl.iii.il.  This 
corresponds  with  the  N.  T.  use  of 
ca.wv  (from  cue/),  always,  an  age,  a 
very  long  period,  not  definitely  meas- 
ured by  years.  Then  of  things  cre- 
ated as  existing  in  periods,  and  these 
in  succession.  In  the  cuoii/e?  of  Heb. 
i.  3  and  xi.  3,  we  have  the  same  ref- 
erence to  creation  in  vast  periods 
that  we  have  here  in  the  word  'ola- 
mim.  We  have  no  English  word 
that  expresses  it  satisfactorily.  The 
word  age  is  limited  in  ordinary  use 
to  the  comparatively  short  spaces 
into  which  man's  occupation  of  the 
earth  is  divided.  The  rendering 
"  ages  everlasting  "  is  an  attempt  to 
convey  the  meaning  without  intro- 
ducing an  unfamiliar  term.  The 
rendering  of  the  English  Bible  meas- 
ures the  existence  from  an  eternity 
in  the  past  to  another  in  the  future, 
which  gives  a  general  conception, 
not  wholly  inappropriate,  but  does 
not  at  all  translate  the  Hebrew,  and 
loses  the  fine  idea  of  the  poet,  who 
strengthens  his  heart  for  the  present 


and  the  future  by  sweeping  over  the 
vast  periods  during  which  God  had 
already  manifested  His  presence, 
power,  and  goodness.  He  does  not 
present  an  abstract  conception  of 
God's  eternal  existence,  but  refers  to 
His  creative  activities  as  described 
in  the  earliest  historic  records.  See 
the  same  expression  in  xli.  13,  ciii. 
17,  and  cvi.  48. 

(4)  As      yesterday's     passing. 
Heb.  when  (or  while)  it  was  (or  zs) 
passing.     The  verb  is  in  the  imper- 
fect tense.    It  describes  what  is  noiv 
occurring,  or  was  occurring,  at  some 
assumed  time  in  the  past.     In  the 
former  conception,  it  may  refer  to 
yesterday  as  we  look  back,  and  see 
it  recede  from  us ;   in  the  latter,  it 
recalls  the  impression  it  made  while 
its  hours  were  flitting  by.    It  is  hard 
to  choose.     The  A.  V.  "  when  it  is 
past,"  is  not  far  from  the  former. 

(5)  The  first  clause  is  represented 
in  Hebrew  by  the  single  word   za- 
ramtam.    The  verb  zaram  describes 
a  washing  away  by  a  volume  of  wa- 
ter from  above,  as    connected  with 
the  noun  zdrem,  a  pouring  rain.     It 
might  be  translated,    Thou  floodest 
them    away.  —  And    they    sleep. 
Heb.    shenah    hayu.      They  become 
a  sleep ;  that  is,  fall  into  a  sleep ; 
swept  away  into  the  sleep  of  death. 

(9)  A  sigh.  Heb.  hegeh,  from 
hagah,  on  which  see  note  at  ii.  i. 
The  rendering  of  the  English  Bible, 
"as  a  tale  that  is  told,"  the  transla- 
tors supplying  "  that  is  told"  in  ital- 
ics, has  no  foundation  in  the  He- 
brew, but  was  retained  by  the  Re- 
visers because  so  familiar.  Their 
margin  gives,  "Or,  a  sigh"  which 
the  Am.  Rev.  Comp.  prefer  to  put  in 
the  text.  See  App.  to  the  Revised 
O.  T.  The  early  English  translators 
were  evidently  at  a  loss  about  the 
meaning:  of  the  word  in  this  connec- 
tion. They  were  probably  not  think- 
ing of  one  relating  the  incidents  of  a 
story,  but  of  one  telling  (counting) 
a  tale  of  numbers,  in  the  older  Eng- 
lish sense.  This  was  perhaps  sug- 
gested by  the  "threescore  and  ten 


224 


THE    PSALMS. 


or  fourscore  years  "  immediately  fol- 
lowing; a  number  that  soon  trips  off 
from  lips  moving  at  ordinary  speed. 
The  count  is  soon  finished. 

(n)  But  who  has  yet  learned. 
Heb.  who  is  a  knower.  The  He- 
brew participle  is  almost  uniformly 
a  concrete  noun.  It  is  somewhat 
difficult  to  express  it  here,  in  dis- 
tinction from  either  tense  form  of 
the  verb  to  know.  It  is  one  who 
has  attained  full  knowledge  of  the 
matter  referred  to,  by  careful  and 
thoughtful  observation  of  the  course 
of  God's  providence  with  respect  to 
the  punishment  of  sin,  as  described 
in  the  preceding  verses.  It  is  the 
true  wisdom  firmly  imbedded  in  the 
mind  and  heart,  and  is  prayed  for  in 


the  following  verse.  —  Thy  wrath  as 
measured  by  the  reverence  due 
Thee.  Heb.  and  according  to  Thy 
fear  (that  is,  the  fear  of  Thee)  Thy 
wrath.  A  concise  expression  of  the 
principle  that  determines  the  sever- 
ity of  punishment.  The  word  most 
important  to  the  sense  is  the  minute 
particle  as  (Heb.  3),  in  proportion 
to.  God's  displeasure,  as  expressed 
by  penalty,  is  measured  by  His  high 
claims  to  respect  and  obedience, 
which  the  wicked  ignore,  or  even 
repudiate. 

(17)  Establish  upon  us  the  work 
of  our  hands;  that  is,  establish  in 
our  possession  the  fruit  of  our  labour 
—  do  not  take  it  from  us,  nor  us  from 
it. 


XCI. 


SAFETY  UNDER  THE  SHADOW  OF  THE  ALMIGHTY. 


IT  is  impossible  to  decide  the  authorship.  It  bears  marks  of  antiquity 
which  entitle  it  to  its  place  alongside  the  Psalm  stamped  with  Moses' 
name,  to  whom  this  also  was  attributed  by  the  Jewish  doctors.  Great  per- 
plexity has  been  occasioned  by  the  abrupt  change  of  person  in  passing  from 
verse  to  verse.  From  the  third  person  "  He  "  in  ver.  i,  we  pass  over  to  the 
first  person  "  I  "  in  ver.  2,  and  to  "  Thou  "  in  ver.  3.  This  is  maintained 
till  ver.  9,  where  we  again  strike  the  first  person  "  I  "  in  the  first  line,  and 
then  in  the  following  line  the  second  person  "  Thou."  The  simplest  ex- 
planation is  the  dramatic  arrangement  of  the  Psalm,  different  voices  alter- 
nating. There  are  two  voices  that  speak  in  the  first  twelve  verses,  and 
in  the  three  that  follow  God  speaks  (J.  D.  Michaelis,  Maurer,  Stier, 
Olshausen,  Delitzsch). 

"  It  is  one  of  the  freshest  and  most  beautiful  Psalms,  resembling  the  sec- 
ond part  of  Isaiah  in  its  light-winged,  richly  coloured  and  transparent 
diction." 

1.  A  declaration  by  the  Psalmist,  not  personal  but  general  (1).  2  A  voice  heard 
in  soliloquy,  expressing  trust  in  Jehovah  (2).  $  The  Psalmist  responds,  assuring 
him  of  safety  in  all  dangers  (3-8).  4.  The  voice  is  again  heard  addressing  God  with 
confident  trust  (9  a).  6.  Again  the  Psalmist  responds  with  additional  assurances 
(9  b-13}.  6.  God  now  speaks^  confirming  the  hope  of  His  servant  (14-16). 


PSALM   XCI.  225 

(The  Psalmist) 

1  He  that  dwelleth  in  secret  with  God  the  Most  High, 
Shall  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty. 

(A  voice.} 

2  I  say  to  Jehovah,  "  My  refuge  and  fortress, 
My  God,  in  whom  I  will  trust." 

(The  Psalmist) 

3  From  the  snare  of  the  fowler  He  will  surely  protect  thee, 
And  will  save  from  the  plague  that  destroys ; 

4  His  pinions  shall  cover,  His  wings  shall  conceal  thee, 
His  truth  shall  be  thine,  as  a  buckler  and  shield; 

5  Thou  shalt  not  be  afraid  for  the  terror  by  night, 
Or  the  arrow  that  flieth  by  day ; 

6  For  the  pestilence  walking  in  darkness, 
Or  the  sickness  that  wasteth  at  noonday ; 

7  A  thousand  may  fall  at  thy  side, 

At  thy  right  side  a  myriad, 
But  it  shall  not  come  nigh  thee ; 

8  Thou  shalt  only  behold  with  thine  eyes, 
Thou  shalt  see  the  reward  of  the  wicked. 

(Again,  the  voice) 

9  For  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  art  my  refuge  — 

(The  Psalmist) 
Hast  thou  made  the  Most  High  thine  abode? 

10  Then  shall  nought  that  is  evil  befall  thee, 
Nor  scourge  make  approach  to  thy  tent; 

1 1  For  He  charges  His  angels  about  thee, 
That  in  all  thy  ways  they  shall  keep  thee ; 

12  On  their  palms  do  they  lift  thee, 

That  thou  strike  not  thy  foot  on  the  stones. 

13  Thou  shalt  trample  on  lions  and  adders, 
Young  lions  and  serpents  shalt  tread  under  foot 

(God  speaks.) 

14  Forasmuch  as  he  lovingly  cleaves  unto  Me, 

I  will  give  him  escape ; 

I  will  set  him  in  safety,  for  he  knoweth  My  Name. 

15 


226  THE   PSALMS. 

15  When  he  calls  I  will  answer, 

And  be  with  him  in  trouble ; 
I  will  rescue  and  bring  him  to  honour. 

16  His  measure  of  life  will  I  fill  with  long  days, 
And  his  eyes  shall  behold  My  salvation. 


XCII. 

THOUGHTS   FOR  THE   SABBATH. 

THE  character  of  this  Psalm  indicates  a  probability  that  it  was  prepared 
for  the  Sabbath,  in  accordance  with  the  tradition  embodied  in  its 
title.    Yet  it  contains  no  direct  reference  to  that  day.     Neither  its  author 
nor  its  age  is  known. 

1.  The  suitableness  of  thanksgiving  to  God  for  His  lovingkindness  and  faithful- 
ness (1-3) .  2.  This  is  supported  by  the  manifestation  of  His  greatness  and  wisdom  in 
His  government  and  works  (4-6)  •  3.  The  prosperity  of  the  wicked  is  transient  ( 7-9) . 
4-  On  the  contrary,  the  righteous  shall  be  established  in  prosperity,  beauty,  and  fruit- 
fulness  (10-15). 

A   PSALM.      A  SONG  FOR  THE   SABBATH   DAY. 

1  It  is  good  to  give  thanks  to  Jehovah, 

To  Thy  Name  to  make  melody,  O  Thou  Most  High; 

2  In  the  morning  to  show  forth  Thy  kindness, 
And  Thy  faithfulness  tell  in  the  night ; 

3  With  the  lute  of  ten  strings  and  the  lyre, 
With  the  murmuring  sound  of  the  harp. 

4  For  Thy  doings  have  filled  me  with  gladness ; 
I  will  joyfully  sing  of  the  works  of  Thy  hands. 

5  How  great  are  Thy  works,  O  Jehovah, 
And  deep  beyond  measure  Thy  thoughts ; 

6  A  brutish  man  knows  not, 

Nor  can  this  be  discerned  by  a  fool. 

7  When  the  wicked  sprang  up  like  the  grass, 

And  they  that  work  evil  all  flourished, 
Before  them  lay  blasting  forever ; 

8  But  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  art  ever  on  high. 


PSALM   XCII. 


227 


9   For  lo,  those  that  hate  Thee,  Jehovah, 

For  lo,  those  that  hate  Thee  shall  perish ; 
Those  that  practise  iniquity  all  shall  be  scattered. 

10  But  my  horn  Thou  exaltest  like  horns  of  wild  oxen; 
Freshly  pressed  is  the  oil  that  anoints  me ; 

1 1  Mine  eyes  shall  behold  the  defeat  of  my  foes, 

And  mine  ears  hear  the  fall  of  my  wicked  assailants. 


12  The  righteous  spring  up  like  the  palm, 
And  like  cedars  of  Lebanon  grow ; 

13  They  are  plants  in  the  house  of  Jehovah, 
They  bloom  in  the  courts  of  our  God. 

14  They  shall  still  bring  forth  fruit  in  old  age, 
Well  nourished  and  thrifty; 

15  To  make  known  that  Jehovah  is  upright; 

He  is  my  Rock,  there  is  no  wrong-doing  in  Him. 


(3)  The  murmuring  sound  of  the 
harp.  Heb.  higgayon,  from  the  verb 
hagah,  which  is  imitative  of  any  low, 
suppressed  sound,  and  especially  ap- 
plicable to  the  soft  trill  of  the  harp. 
See  note  on  ii.  i.  The  English  Bible 
has  the  rendering  "  solemn  sound," 
which  does  not  at  all  represent  the 
meaning  of  the  word. 

(7)  Flourished.    Heb.  blossomed. 

(10)  My   horn    Thou    exaltest. 
A  common  figurative  expression  of 
the  infusion  of  courage,  and  increase 
of  power  and  dignity,  as  in  Ixxxix. 
17,  24.     See  note  on  Ixxv.  6. 

(11)  Behold  the  defeat .  . .  hear 
the  fall.     The  words  "defeat"  and 
"fair"1  are  not  expressed  in  the  He- 
brew text.     Both  verbs  are  here  fol- 
lowed by  the  preposition  beth.    This 
in  established  usage  with  this  class 
of  verbs,  carries  with  it  the  idea  of 
seeing  or  hearing  with  satisfaction. 
This  is  expressed  in  the  English  Bi- 
ble by  supplying  the  words  "its  de- 
sire iipon  "  in  italics,  after  both  verbs. 
See  note  at  xxvii.  4  and  liv.  7. 

( 1 2)  The  righteous  spring  up  like 
the  palm.    The  following  from  De- 


litzsch  will  surely  be  appreciated: 
"  Not  till  the  blossoming  of  the  un- 
godly comes  to  an  end  does  the  blos- 
soming and  growth  of  the  righteous 
rightly  make  its  beginning.  Tamar 
is  the  palm,  and  more  especially  the 
date-palm.  How  rich  the  inflores- 
cence of  the  date-palm  is,  appears 
from  the  fact  that  when  it  has  at- 
tained its  full  size  it  bears  from 
three  to  four  hundred,  and  in  some 
instances  even  six  hundred,  pounds 
of  fruit.  And  there  is  no  more 
charming  and  majestic  sight  than 
the  palm-tree  of  the  oasis, — this  king 
among  the  trees  of  the  plain,  with 
its  proudly  raised  diadem  of  leaves, 
its  attitude  as  it  looks  far  away  into 
the  distance,  and  gazes  frankly  into 
the  face  of  the  sun,  its  perennial  ver- 
dure, and  its  vegetative  power,  which 
is  continually  renewing  itself  from 
the  root,  —  a  symbol  of  life  in  the 
midst  of  a  world  of  death.  From 
the  earliest  times  the  palm-tree  has 
been  an  emblem  of  longevity,  of  fruit- 
fulness  and  victory,  of  unity  and 
peace.  Along  with  the  palm-tree  there 
stands  here  the  cedar,  the  prince  of 


228  THE   PSALMS. 

the  trees  of  the  mountain,  and  espe-  also  the  perennial  verdure  of  its  fo- 

ciallyof  Mount  Lebanon.    The  most  liage,  and  the  fragrance  it  breathes 

obvious  point  of  comparison  is,  as  out.     Comp.  Hos.  xiv.  7." 

the  verb  sagah,  to  grow  great  (comp.  (13)  They   bloom.      Heb.   burst 

Job  viii.  11),  implies,  its  stately  and  into  blossom.     A  stronger  word  than 

lofty  growth,  then  in  general,  the  in-  that  used  of  the  wicked  in  ver.  7. 
tensity  of  its  power  of  growing,  but 


XCIII. 


GOD  ON  HIS  THRONE  ABOVE  THE  RAGE  AND  TUMULT  OF  MEN. 

THIS  Psalm,  like  the  two  that  precede  it,  goes  back  to  the  beginning  of 
history.  The  subject  is  Jehovah,  the  God  of  revelation,  ruling  in 
majesty  over  all  hostile  powers,  in  executing  the  purposes  of  His  grace. 
The  Theocratic  Psalms,  beginning  "Jehovah  is  King,"  are  no  less  Mes- 
sianic than  those  commonly  so  designated,  and  in  the  same  general  direc- 
tion. In  fact  they  steadily  converge  toward  the  event  in  which  they  both 
find  their  fulfilment,  the  ascension  of  our  blessed  Lord  to  the  right  hand  of 
the  Father.  (Del.) 

1.  Jehovah  is  King  on  a  throne  eternal  and  immovable,  and  in  His  majesty  and 
power  He  upholds  the  world  (1,  2).  2.  All  the  raging  of  human  pride,  power,  and 
passion  cannot  obstruct  His  rule,  nor  defeat  His  gracious  purpose  (5,  4)-  8.  The 
truth  of  His  revelation,  and  the  holiness  of  His  house  shall  endure  forever  (5). 

1  Jehovah  is  King,  and  apparelled  with  splendour, 

Jehovah  apparelled  and  girded  with  might ; 
So  the  world  stands  fast  without  tottering. 

2  Thy  throne  stands  fast  from  of  old ; 
From  eternity  art  THOU. 

3  O  Jehovah,  the  floods  have  uplifted, 
The  floods  have  uplifted  their  voice, 

The  floods  have  uplifted  their  roaring; 

4  Than  the  voice  of  great  waters,  grand  waves  of  the  sea, 
Far  grander  is  Jehovah  on  high. 

5  Very  sure  are  Thy  testimonies,  Jehovah, 
And  holiness  becometh  Thy  house, 

While  the  days  shall  endure. 


PSALM   XCIV.  229 


XCIV. 

THE  JUDGMENT  OF  GOD  UPON  TYRANNY  AND  OPPRESSION. 

THERE  is  no  reliable  tradition  with  reference  to  this  Psalm.     It  is 
probably  one  of  the  latest. 
The  first  fifteen  verses  are  general,  the  last  eight  are  personal. 

As  general :  1.  Vengeance  is  implored  upon  the  wicked  (1-3).  2.  Their  conduct 
described  (4-7).  3.  Their  folly  exhibited  (8-11).  4.  The  happiness  of  God's  people 
(12-15). 

As  personal :  1.  His  comfort  under  Divine  protection  (16-19).  2.  His  assurance 
that  just  retribution  will  overtake  those  guilty  of  great  wickedness  (20-28). 

1  God  of  vengeance,  Jehovah, 
God  of  vengeance,  shine  forth ; 

2  Lift  Thee  up,  Thou  Judge  of  the  earth, 
Give  the  proud  their  desert. 

3  O  Jehovah,  how  long  shall  the  wicked, 
How  long  shall  the  wicked  exult? 

4  They  gush  out  with  arrogant  speech, 
Those  busied  in  wrong  are  all  boastful. 

5  They  crush  Thy  people,  Jehovah, 
And  Thy  heritage  sorely  oppress ; 

6  The  widow  and  stranger  they  slay, 
And  murder  the  orphan. 

7  "  Jehovah,"  they  say,  "will  not  see, 
Nor  the  God  of  Jacob  regard  it." 

8  Understand,  ye  brutish  of  the  people ; 
Oh,  when,  ye  fools,  will  ye  be  wise? 

9  Shall  He  fail  in  hearing  that  planteth  the  ear? 
Or  shall  He  fail  in  seeing  that  formeth  the  eye  ? 

10  The  Corrector  of  nations  shall  not  He  punish? 
He  that  teacheth  man  knowledge  — 

1 1  Jehovah  well  knoweth  the  projects  of  men, 

That  they  are  breath. 


230  THE   PSALMS. 

12  How  blest  is  the  man  whom  Thou  chastenest,  Jehovah, 
And  shalt  teach  from  Thy  law ; 

13  To  quiet  him  when  evil  days  come, 

Till  the  pit  shall  be  digged  for  the  wicked. 

14  For  Jehovah  rejects  not  His  people, 
And  His  heritage  will  not  forsake ; 

15  But  let  judgment  return  unto  justice, 
And  the  upright  in  heart  all  pursue  it. 

1 6  Who  will  rise  to  defend  me  from  those  that  do  evil? 
Who  will  stand  on  my  side  against  workers  of  wrong? 

17  If  Jehovah  had  not  helped  me, 

How  soon  had  my  soul  dwelt  in  silence ! 

1 8  When  I  said,  "  My  footsteps  are  tottering," 
Thy  kindness,  Jehovah,  sustained  me ; 

19  In  the  many  distractions  within  me, 
Thy  comforts  give  joy  to  my  soul. 

20  Shall  thrones  of  injustice  be  in  covenant  with  Thee, 
That  frame  outrage  by  statute? 

21  They  combine  against  the  life  of  the  righteous, 
And  the  innocent  blood  they  condemn. 

22  But  Jehovah  becomes  my  high  tower, 
And  my  God  the  rock  of  my  refuge ; 

23  He  brings  back  their  ill  deeds  on  themselves, — 

Cuts  them  off  in  their  sins, 
Jehovah  our  God  cuts  them  off. 


xcv. 


T 


A  CALL  TO  WORSHIP  AND  OBEDIENCE. 

HIS  Psalm  contains  no  clue  to  the  time  of  its  composition.     It  con- 
nects with  Psalm  Ixxxix.  in  calling  Jehovah  a  "rock  of  salvation." 


PSALM   XCV.  231 

1.  The  church  is  invited  to  praise  God  as  the  supreme  God  and  Creator  (1-5), 
and  as  its  own  gracious  and  faithful  Shepherd  (6,  7).  2.  A  declaration  of  God  to 
His  people,  which  draws  its  warnings  from  the  history  of  their  inarch  through  the 
•wilderness  (8-11). 

1  O  come,  let  us  sing  to  Jehovah, 

Let  us  shout  to  our  rock  of  salvation. 

2  Let  us  come  with  thanksgiving  before  Him, 
With  psalms  let  us  shout  to  His  praise. 

3  For  Jehovah  is  God  very  great, 
Above  all  the  gods  the  Great  King ; 

4  In  whose  hands  are  the  depths  of  the  earth, 
And  the  wealth  of  the  mountains  is  His; 

5  The  sea,  too,  is  His,  for  He  made  it, 
And  His  hands  have  formed  the  dry  land. 

6  Oh  come,  bowing  down  let  us  worship, 
Let  us  kneel  to  Jehovah  our  Maker ; 

7  For  He  is  our  God, 

And  we  are  the  people  of  His  care, 

The  flock  of  His  hand ; 
Oh  that  to-day  ye  would  hearken  to  His  voice. 

8  Do  not  harden  your  heart  as  at  Meribah, 
At  Massah,  the  day  in  the  desert ; 

9  Where  your  fathers  tempted  —  they  tried  Me, 
Though  they  witnessed  My  work. 

10  Forty  years  was  I  troubled  by  that  generation ; 
"  A  people,"  I  said,  "  whose  heart  goes  astray, 

And  they  know  not  My  ways  ;  " 

11  So  I  sware  in  My  wrath, 

"  They  shall  surely  not  enter  My  rest." 

(6)  Our  Maker.     This  does  not  It  covers  the  whole  work  of  the  shep- 
refer  to  their  creation  as  men,  but  to  herd.     See  on  xxviii.  9.  —  Of  His 
the  Divine  formative  act  by  which  hand.    That  is,  under  His  protection, 
they  have  become  His  people ;  as  in  (9)  Your  fathers  tempted — they 
c.  3,  cxlix.  2 ;  Is.  xliii.  21,  xliv.  2,  etc. ;  tried  Me.    The  use  of  the  two  words 
Deut.  xxxii.  6.  together,  scarcely  distinguishable  in 

(7)  Of  His   care.     Heb.  of  His  meaning,  indicates  severe  and  persist- 
shep  her  ding ;  not  to  be  confined  to  ent  temptation. — Though  they  wit- 
"  pasture  "as  in  the  English  Bible,  nessed.     The  particle  gam,  usually 


232  THE   PSALMS. 

meaning  also,  is  here  although,  as  in         (i  i)  They  shall  surely  not  enter. 

Is.  xlix.  15 ;  so  gam  ki  in  Is.  1.  15.  Heb.  if  they  shall  enter.     A  com- 

(10)  I  was  troubled.     Heb.  qfit.  mon  elliptical  form  of  taking  an  oath. 

The  primary  meaning  is  loathing.    It  The  full  form  occurs  in  i  Sam.  iii.  1 7, 

indicates  great  disturbance  of  mind,  "  God  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also,  if 

displeasure,  and  antipathy.  aught  but  death,"  etc. 


XCVI. 

THE  COMING   KINGDOM   OF   GOD. 

THE  following  remark  of  Delitzsch  is  important.  It  applies  to  several 
other  Psalms  of  the  same  general  tenor  with  those  he  mentions. 
"  Psalms  xcvi.-xcviii.  are  more  Messianic  than  many  in  the  strict  sense  of 
the  word  Messianic ;  for  the  centre  of  gravity  of  the  Old  Testament  procla- 
mation of  redemption  does  not  lie  in  the  Messiah,  but  in  the  appearing 
(parousia)  of  Jehovah,  —  a  fact  which  is  explained  by  the  circumstance 
that  the  mystery  of  the  incarnation  remains  outside  the  Old  Testament 
knowledge  of  salvation." 

The  theme  of  the  Psalm  is  found  in  xcv.  3,  "  For  Jehovah  is  God  very 
great,  above  all  the  gods  the  Great  King." 

1.  Jehovah  revealed  as  the  God  of  salvation,  who  manifests  His  glory  in  the  sanc- 
tuary (1-6).  2.  On  this  ground  all  nations  are  called  upon  to  -worship  and  fear 
Him  (7—9).  3.  The  reign  of  Jehovah  as  joyful  tidings  in  all  the  earth,  and  especially 
His  coming  in  righteousness  and  truth  (10—13). 

1  Oh,  sing  a  new  song  to  Jehovah ; 
Yea,  sing,  all  the  earth,  to  Jehovah : 

2  Raise  your  song  to  Jehovah,  and  bless  ye  His  Name ; 
Proclaim  every  day  His  glad  news  of  salvation : 

3  Declare  in  the  nations  His  glory; 

Let  the  peoples  all  know  of  His  wonders. 

4  For  Jehovah  is  great,  and  all  worthy  of  praise, 
And  above  all  the  gods  to  be  feared. 

5  For  the  gods  of  the  nations  are  all  things  of  nought, 
But  the  heavens  were  made  by  Jehovah. 

6  In  His  presence  are  grandeur  and  glory, 
In  His  holy  place  splendour  and  strength. 


PSALM  XCVII.  233 

7  Ascribe  to  Jehovah,  ye  families  of  nations, 
Ascribe  glory  and  strength  to  Jehovah. 

8  Ascribe  to  Jehovah  the  glory  of  His  Name, 
Bring  an  offering  and  come  to  His  courts. 

9  Oh,  worship  Jehovah  in  holy  attire ; 
All  the  earth  be  in  anguish  before  Him. 

10  Declare  in  the  nations,  "  Jehovah  is  King," 

So  the  world  stands  fast  without  tottering ; 
The  peoples  He  in  righteousness  rules. 

11  Let  the  heavens  be  glad,  and  the  earth  full  of  joy, 
The  sea,  let  it  roar,  and  the  fulness  thereof; 

12  Let  the  field  shout  in  triumph,  and  all  it  contains, 
And  the  forest  trees  all  sing  for  joy  — 

13  Before  Jehovah,  for  He  comes,  — 

For  He  comes  to  judge  the  earth ; 
The  world  will  He  in  righteousness  judge, 
And  the  nations  in  truth. 

(5)  Things  of  nought.  Heb.  'all-  between  these  that  are  not  and  the 
lim,  nothings.  Engl.  Bible,  idols,  meaning  of  the  Name  Jehovah,  He 
See  the  fine  contrast  in  Lev.  xix.  4,  that  is.  So  here. 


XCVII. 


THE  KINGDOM   HAS   COME. 

A  NOTHER  of  the  Theocratic  Psalms,  with  "  Jehovah  is  King  "  as  its 
£\.  key-note.  "It  is  composed  as  mosaic  work  out  of  the  earlier  original 
passages  of  Davidic  and  Asaphic  Psalms,  and  out  of  the  Prophets,  more 
especially  of  Isaiah,  and  is  entirely  an  expression  of  the  religious  conscious- 
ness which  resulted  from  the  exile." 

1.  An  announcement  of  the  appearing  of  Jehovah  as  King  and  Judge  (1-3). 

2.  His  awful  majesty  in  its  significance  to  the  whole  earth  has  revealed  itself  (4-6). 

3.  The  shame  of  idol-worshippers,  and  the  joy  of  Israel  (7-9).     4"  dn  admonition  to 
fidelity,  with  the  assurance  of  unbounded  blessing  to  the  righteous  (10-12). 

I    Jehovah  is  King,  let  the  earth  shout  for  joy, 
Let  the  shores  far  distant  be  glad ; 


234  THE   PSALMS. 

2  Clouds  and  darkness  are  about  Him, 
Justice  and  right  the  supports  of  His  throne; 

3  A  fire  goes  before  Him, 
Consuming  His  foes  round  about. 

4  His  lightnings' illumine  the  world; 
The  earth  sees  and  it  trembles, 

5  And  the  hills  melt  like  wax, 

At  the  face  of  Jehovah, 
At  the  face  of  the  Lord  of  all  the  earth. 

6  The  heavens  proclaim  Him  the  Righteous, 
And  the  nations  all  witness  His  glory. 

7  Let  those  that  serve  images  all  come  to  shame, 

Those  that  glory  in  idols ; 
All  ye  gods,  bow  in  worship  before  Him. 

8  Zion  hears  and  is  glad, 

And  the  daughters  of  Judah  rejoice, 
Because  of  Thy  judgments,  Jehovah. 

9  For  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  Most  High, 

Art  above  the  whole  earth, 
Far  above  all  the  gods  art  exalted. 

10  Ye  that  love  Jehovah,  the  evil  thing  hate; 
He  preserveth  the  souls  of  His  saints, 

From  the  hand  of  the  wicked  He  saves  them. 

1 1  For  the  righteous  man,  light  has  been  sown, 
And  gladness  for  the  upright  in  heart. 

12  Be  glad  in  Jehovah,  ye  righteous, 
And  give  thanks  to  His  holy  Memorial. 

(7)  All  ye  gods,  bow  in  worship,  shall  come  to  an  end,  and  that  all 

The  Septuagint  has  here  ayyfKoi.  In  His  rivals  in  the  homage  and  obe- 

connection  with  the  Divine  judgment  dience  of  men,  whether  human  or 

against  idolaters  and  their  idols,  the  superhuman,    existent    actually    or 

poet  addresses  the  powers  of  nature  only  in  their  vain  imaginations,  shall 

which  the  heathen  personify,  deify,  be  forever  dishonoured, 
and  antagonize  to  the  living  God,  as         (12)  His  holy  Memorial.     That 

if  they  were  possessed  of  real  per-  is,  His  Name  Jehovah;  Ex.  iii.  17, 

sonal   life  and   intelligence.      They  "  This  is  My  Name  forever,  and  this 

are  called  upon  to  yield  and  lie  pros-  My  Memorial  to   all  generations." 

trate   before    Him.      It   involves   a  So  in  xxx.  4,  cxxxv.  13. 
graphic  prediction  that  false  worship 


PSALM   XCVIII.  235 

XCVIII. 

SALVATION   REVEALED  TO   ALL  NATIONS. 

THIS  Psalm  agrees  very  closely  with  Psalm  xcvii.     It  is  the  echo  of  the 
same  joyful  tidings ;  but  here  the  past  tense  prevails,  as  of  wonders 
already  accomplished.     It  is  what  Hebrew  grammarians  call  the  predictive 
future,  characteristic  of  the  prophetic  parts  of  the  Old  Testament. 

1.  God 's  wonderful  deeds  of  salvation  are  thankfully  recalled  (1-3).  2.  Men  are 
called  upon  to  celebrate  His  praise  publicly  and  with  suitable  musical  accompaniment 
(4-6). 

1  Oh,  sing  a  new  song  to  Jehovah, 

For  marvellous  things  hath  He  done ; 
His  own  right  hand  and  His  holy  arm  the  victory  gained. 

2  Jehovah  made  known  His  salvation,  — 

His  justice  revealed  in  the  sight  of  the  nations  ; 

3  To  Israel's  house  He  remembered  His  kindness  and 

truth, 

And  the  earth's  utmost  bounds  have  seen  the  salvation 
of  God. 

4  Shout  aloud  to  Jehovah,  all  the  earth ; 
Break  forth  into  song,  and  make  melody; 

5  With  the  harp  to  Jehovah  make  melody, 
With  the  harp  and  the  sound  of  the  lyre  ; 

6  With  trumpets  and  cornet, 
Shout  aloud  to  Jehovah  the  King. 

7  The  sea,  let  it  roar  and  the  fulness  thereof, 
The  world  and  those  dwelling  therein. 

8  Let  the  streams  clap  their  hands, 

All  at  once  let  the  mountains  shout  aloud  — 

9  Before  Jehovah,  for  He  comes  to  judge  the  earth; 
To  the  world  He  awards  right, 

And  to  nations  just  judgment. 


236  THE   PSALMS. 

XCIX. 

PRAISE   TO  THE  THRICE  HOLY  ONE. 

THIS  is  the  third  of  the  Theocratic  Psalms,  commencing  "Jehovah  is 
King." 

There  are  three  parts,  each  ending  with  a  refrain,  which  is  somewhat 
lengthened  in  its  last  repetition  : 

1.  A  manifestation  of  God's  majesty  and  might  as  enthroned  in  Zion  (1-3). 
2.  The  righteousness  of  his  rule  in  Zion  celebrated  (4,  5).  3.  A  glance  at  persons 
and  events  of  time  long  past,  as  illustrating  God's  faithfulness,  justice,  and  mercy  (6-9)^ 

1  Jehovah  is  King,  — 

Let  the  nations  be  afraid, 
And  on  Cherubim  throned,  — 
Let  the  earth  be  convulsed. 

2  Jehovah  in  Zion  is  great, 

And  above  all  the  nations  exalted ; 

3  Let  them  praise  Thy  great  and  terrible  Name : 

IT  is  HOLY. 

4  As  the  strength  of  the  king,  and  equity  loving, 

It  is  Thine  to  establish  the  right ; 
Thy  doings  in  Jacob  are  righteous  and  just 

5  Exalt  ye  Jehovah  our  God, 
And  bow  at  His  footstool ; 

HE  is  HOLY. 

6  There  were  Moses  and  Aaron,  His  priests, 

And  Samuel,  of  those  that  called  on  His  Name ; 
On  Jehovah  they  called,  and  He  answered. 

7  Unto  them  did  He  speak  in  the  pillar  of  cloud  ; 
They  observed  His  injunctions, 

The  statutes  He  gave  them. 

8  Thou,  O  Jehovah  our  God,  didst  answer  their  prayer; 
They  found  Thee  a  God  that  forgives, 

But  One  on  their  deeds  taking  vengeance. 


PSALM   C.  237 

9   Exalt  ye  Jehovah  our  God, 

At  His  holy  mountain  worship  before  Him ; 
FOR  HOLY  is  JEHOVAH  OUR  GOD. 


C. 

THE  WHOLE  EARTH   CALLED  TO  WORSHIP  JEHOVAH. 

THE  last  of  ten  Psalms  that  are  upon  the  same  key  with  the  second  part 
of  Isaiah.     It  strongly  resembles  Ps.  xcv.     Yet  the  invitation  to  all 
lands,  and  the  closing  assurance  are  not  found  there. 

"  Among  the  Psalms  of  triumph  and  thanksgiving  this  stands  pre-eminent 
as  rising  to  the  highest  point  of  joy  and  grandeur.  No  local  restrictions, 
no  national  exclusiveness,  can  find  place  in  the  contemplation  of  God  as  the 
common  Creator  and  Father  of  men.  Hence  it  is  that  no  hymn  or  psalm 
in  any  subsequent  age  can  find  a  readier  response  than  this  first  appeal  to 
the  whole  world  to  unite  in  worshipping  Jehovah  on  the  ground  of  common 
sonship  and  humanity." 

FOR   THE   THANKOFFERING.      A  PSALM. 

1  Shout  for  joy  to  Jehovah,  all  the  earth ; 

2  Serve  Jehovah  with  gladness, 
Come  before  Him  with  singing. 

3  Know  ye  that  Jehovah  is  God ; 

It  is  He  that  hath  made  us,  we  are  therefore  His  own, 
His  people  and  the  flock  of  His  care. 

4  Enter  His  gates  with  thanksgiving, 

And  His  courts  with  a  song; 
Give  Him  thanks  and  bless  ye  His  Name. 

5  For  Jehovah  is  good ; 

His  kindness  endureth  forever, 
And  His  truth  to  the  uttermost  age. 


CI. 

THE  VOWS    OF  A  KING. 

"  HpHE  Psalm  before  us  belongs  to  the  time  when  the  ark  of  the  covenant 
JL  was  in  the  house  of  Obed-Edom,  where  David  had  left  it  through 
horror  at  the  calamity  which  befell  Uzzah.  On  that  occasion  David  said  : 
How  shall  the  ark  of  Jehovah  come  unto  me  (the  unholy  one)?  2  Sam.  vi.  9. 
He  did  not  dare  to  bring  the  ark  of  the  awful  and  holy  One  within  his  own 


238  THE   PSALMS. 

house.  In  our  Psalm,  however,  he  gives  expression  to  his  determination  as 
king,  to  give  earnest  heed  to  the  sanctity  of  his  walk,  his  rule,  and  the 
ordering  of  his  house ;  and  this  determination  he  brings  as  a  vow  before 
Jehovah,  to  whom,  having  in  view  the  rich  blessing  which  the  ark  of  God 
diffused  round  about  it  (2  Sam.  vii.  n  ff.),  he  yearningly  sighs.  To  defend 
the  sanctity  of  Jehovah's  dwelling-place  (ver.  8)  in  all  faithfulness  and  with 
all  his  might,  is  what  David  pledges  himself  to  here."  — Delitzsch. 

The  Psalm  consists  of  a  series  of  resolves  to  act  uprightly :  1.  In  personal 
conduct  and  domestic  life  (1,  2).  2.  With  reference  to  his  associates  (3-5).  3.  In 
keeping  watch  over  his  subjects,  his  servants,  and  the  inmates  of  his  house  (6,  7). 
4-  He  "will  exercise  his  punitive  power  as  king,  with  reference  to  the  city  of  Jeho- 
vah (8). 

BY   DAVID.      A   PSALM. 

1  I  will  sing  lovingkindness  and  justice; 

O  Jehovah,  unto  Thee  shall  my  melody  rise. 

2  I  will  heed  the  way  of  perfection,  — 

Oh,  when  wilt  Thou  come?  — 
With  sound  heart  will  I  walk 
In  the  circle  of  my  house. 

3  I  will  set  no  base  act 

Within  sight  of  mine  eyes; 
Deeds  that  swerve  from  the  right  do  I  hate, 
They  shall  not  hold  me  fast. 

4  A  heart  of  perverseness  shall  depart  from  before  me, 

I  will  know  nothing  evil. 

5  He  that  slanders  his  neighbour  in  secret, 

Him  will  I  destroy; 

He  of  arrogant  look,  and  heart  proudly  swelling, 
I  cannot  endure  him. 

6  On  the  faithful  in  the  land  is  mine  eye, 

To  have  them  about  me ; 
He  that  walks  in  the  way  of  perfection, 
It  is  he  that  shall  serve  me. 

7  None  shall  dwell  in  my  house, 

That  practise  deceit ; 
And  no  liar  shall  stand 

Where  mine  eyes  can  behold  him. 

8  I  will  slay  every  morning 

All  the  wicked  of  the  land  ; 
To  cut  off  from  the  city  of  Jehovah 
All  workers  of  wrong. 


PSALM  CII.  239 

(8)  I  will  slay  every  morning,  The  Psalm  breathes  intense  abhor- 

etc.     This  would  be  impossible,  and  rence  of  falsehood,  malignity,  and 

neither  David  nor  any  other  king  of  baseness  of  every  kind,  but  its  se- 

Israel  ever  attempted  it.     There  is  verest   sentences  have  no  tinge  of 

no   place  in  Oriental  poetry  where  personal  animosity.     There  is  noth- 

hyperbole   may  not  come   in.      He  ing  in  the  life  of  David  to  indicate 

speaks  as  the  supreme  magistrate  of  that  he  was  revengeful  and   blood- 

the  land,  under  special  obligation  to  thirsty,  but  the  reverse.     He  has  no 

guard  the  Holy  City  from  profana-  rancour  against  men,  but  to  the  ex- 

tion.     He  will  faithfully  and  rigidly  tent  of  his  power  would  destroy  evil 

execute  the  Divine  law,  even  where  from  the  house  and  city  of  God. 
it  requires   the  infliction  of  death. 


CII. 

AN  APPEAL  TO   GOD'S  UNCHANGEABLE  MERCY. 

THERE  are  internal  evidences  that  this  Psalm  is  not  by  David.  It  be- 
longs to  the  later  time  assigned  to  those  before  it  that  are  in  the  tone 
of  the  later  prophecies  of  Isaiah.  Passages  occur  in  it  of  the  highest  poetic 
beauty,  and  even  sublimity.  It  is  the  cry  of  an  individual  sufferer,  but 
through  a  considerable  part  of  his  song  he  loses  sight  of  himself  in  his  con- 
cern for  Zion,  and  his  contemplation  of  the  grace  and  faithfulness  of  God. 

1.  With  earnest  prayer  he  describes  his  distress  (1-11).  2.  He  expresses  his  confi- 
dence in  the  unchangeable  mercy  of  God,  to  restore  and  glorify  Zion,  as  a  centre  of 
worship  and  privilege  for  all  nations  {12-22},  3.  He  entreats  that  he  may  not  perish 
prematurely,  appealing  to  God  as  eternal  and  immutable,  who  will  establish  His  ser- 
vants in  His  presence  forever  (23-27}. 

THE   PRAYER   OF   A    SUFFERER   POURING   OUT   HIS    LAMENT   BEFORE 

JEHOVAH. 

1  Hear  my  prayer,  O  Jehovah  ; 
Let  my  cry  come  before  Thee. 

2  Hide  not  Thy  face  in  my  day  of  distress ; 

Bow  Thine  ear  at  my  call  and  haste  to  my  rescue. 

3  For  my  days  have  vanished  like  smoke, 
And  my  bones  are  burned  up  as  by  fire; 

4  My  heart  is  smitten  and  withered  like  grass, 
Yea,  the  bread  I  should  eat  I  forget; 

5  At  the  sound  of  my  groaning, 
My  bones  cleave  fast  to  my  flesh. 


240  THE   PSALMS. 

6  Like  a  pelican  off  in  the  desert, 
Like  an  owl  of  the  ruins ; 

7  I  am  kept  on  the  watch, 

Like  a  bird  all  alone  on  the  housetop, 

8  All  the  day  long  they  that  hate  me  revile  me ; 
Those  that  rage  at  me  name  me  in  their  oaths. 

9  For  ashes  have  I  eaten  like  bread, 

And  my  drink  have  I  mingled  with  tears, 
TO   Because  of  Thy  wrath  and  grievous  displeasure, 
For  Thou  liftedst  me  up,  and  hast  cast  me  away. 

1 1  Like  a  shadow  grown  long  is  my  life, 
And  my  substance  is  withered  like  grass. 

12  But  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  art  forever  enthroned, 
Thy  Memorial  Name  is  to  age  after  age. 

13  Thou  Thyself  wilt  arise  and  compassionate  Zion, 
For  the  time  to  pity  her,  the  set  time  is  come ; 

14  For  even  in  her  stones  Thy  servants  take  pleasure, 
And  have  pity  on  her  dust. 

15  So  the  nations  shall  reverence  the  Name  of  Jehovah, 
All  the  kings  of  the  earth,  Thy  glory. 

16  For  Jehovah  has  builded  up  Zion, 
He  appears  in  His  glory ; 

17  He  has  turned  toward  the  prayer  of  the  needy, 
For  their  prayer  He  has  not  despised. 

1 8  This  is  written  for  the  next  generation, 

A  people  yet  to  be  created  shall  give  praise  to  Jehovah. 

19  For  from  His  holy  height  He  bent  down, 

Out  of  heaven  Jehovah  has  gazed  upon  the  earth, 

20  To  hear  the  prisoner's  groans, 

And  to  loosen  the  children  of  death; 

21  That  Jehovah's  Name  they  may  publish  in  Zion, 
In  Jerusalem  may  utter  His  praise, 

22  When  the  peoples  are  gathered  together, 
And  the  kingdoms,  for  serving  Jehovah. 


PSALM  cm. 


241 


23  My  strength  He  brought  down  in  the  way, 
He  has  shortened  my  days ; 

24  I  say,  O  my  God,  "  Do  not  take  me  away  in  the  midst  of 

my  days, 
Thou  whose  years  are  to  all  generations ; 

25  Of  old  didst  Thou  lay  the  foundations  of  the  earth, 
And  the  heavens  are  the  work  of  Thy  hands ; 

26  As  for  them  they  shall  perish,  but  Thou  shalt  endure ; 

They  all  shall  wax  old  like  a  garment ; 
As  a  robe  wilt  Thou  change  them,  they  surely  shall  change ; 

27  But  Thou  art  the  same, 
And  Thy  years  shall  not  end. 

28  The  children  of  Thy  servants  abide, 
Their  seed  are  established  before  Thee." 


(7)  I  am   kept   on  the  watch. 

Sleepless   and  exhausted. 

(8)  Name   me  in    their   oaths. 
Heb.   swear  by   me;   that  is,   they 
make  his  name  a  by-word  of  execra- 
tion;  invoking  upon  themselves,  if 
they  prove  false,  the  same  curse  that 
God  has  inflicted  upon  him.      See 
Is.  Ixv.  15 ;  Jer.  xxix.  22. 

(n)  Like  a  shadow  grown 
long.  The  lengthening  of  the  shad- 
ow indicates  that  the  sun  is  low, 
and  the  night  close  at  hand.  —  My 
substance.  Heb.  I  myself,  the  em- 
phatic pronoun.  That  which  be- 
longs to,  or  constitutes  myself,  as 
distinguished  from  its  duration,  just 
before  mentioned. 

(12)  Thy  Memorial  Name.  Heb. 
Thy  memorial,  in  allusion  to  Ex.  iii. 
15,  *'  This  is  My  Name  forever,  and 


this  is  My  Memorial  to  all  genera- 
tions." So  in  cxxxv.,  and  elsewhere 
in  the  Psalms. 

(14)  Her  stones  .   .  .  her  dust. 
Of  her  ruins.     Comp.  Neh.  iv.  2, 10. 

(19)  From  His  holy  height  He 
bent  down.     The  verb  is  shakaph, 
to  bend  over,  especially  of  one  gazing 
intently  at  something  of   absorbing 
interest  below  him.    See  the  note  on 
xiv.  2. 

(20)  To  loosen  the  children  of 
death.      Those    in  great   peril,  and 
claimed  by  death  as  belonging  to  his 
great  family.     See  the  note  at  Ixxix. 
n,  where  as  here  the  former  line  of 
the    couplet  mentions    "prisoners." 
The   loosening,  properly,  the  open- 
ing, or  setting  free,  implies  a  bind- 
ing   and  holding  till    the   hour  of 
execution. 


cm. 


PRAISE  TO  THE  ALL-COMPASSIONATE  GOD. 

A  LTHOUGH  the  title  ascribes  it  to  David,  nearly  all  authorities  regard 
4*  the  authorship  of  this  song  as  doubtful.  There  is  an  accumulation  of 
Aramaic  forms,  such  as  are  found  only  in  the  latest  Hebrew  songs.  But 

16 


242  THE   PSALMS. 

there  can  be  no  difference  of  opinion  about  its  beauty  and  preciousness. 
Its  key-note  is  God's  proclamation  of  Himself  to  Moses  as  "Jehovah,  a  God 
full  of  compassion  and  gracious,  slow  to  anger,  and  plenteous  in  loving- 
kindness  and  truth."  Ex.  xxxiv.  5. 

1.  The  poet  stirs  up  his  own  soul  to  bless  God  for  His  mercies  to  himself  individ- 
ually (1—5).  2.  He  describes  God's  gracious  and  fatherly  conduct  toward  the  children 
of  men,  especially  as  exhibited  toward  Israel,  and  as  known  and  recognized  in  the 
light  of  revelation  (6-18). 

BY  DAVID. 

1  Bless  Jehovah,  my  soul, 

And  all  that  is  in  me  His  holy  Name  bless ; 

2  Bless  Jehovah,  my  soul, 
All  His  favours  forget  not; 

3  Who  forgives  all  thy  sins, 
All  thy  sicknesses  heals ; 

4  Who  redeemeth  thy  life  from  destruction, 
And  crowns  thee  with  kindness  and  mercies ; 

5  Who  perfects  thy  beauty  with  good, 
And  thy  youth  is  renewed  like  the  eagle's. 

6  Righteous  deeds  Jehovah  performs, 

And  judgments  for  all  the  oppressed. 

7  His  ways  He  made  known  unto  Moses, 
His  acts  to  the  children  of  Israel. 

8  Jehovah  is  gracious,  and  full  of  compassion, 
Long  suffering,  and  plenteous  in  kindness ; 

9  He  will  not  always  contend, 
Nor  keep  up  His  anger  forever. 

10  He  deals  not  with  us  according  to  our  sins, 
Nor  rewards  as  our  guilt  has  deserved. 

1 1  As  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth, 

His  kindness  prevails  for  those  that  revere  Him. 

12  As  far  as  the  rise  of  the  sun  from  its  setting, 

So  far  away  He  removes  our  transgressions ; 

13  As  a  father  has  pity  on  his  children 
Jehovah  has  pity  on  those  that  revere  Him ; 

14  For  He  knoweth  our  frame, 
He  remembereth  we  are  dust. 


PSALM   GUI. 


243 


15  As  for  mortals,  their  days  are  as  grass, 

Like  the  flower  of  the  meadows  they  flourish ; 

1 6  When  the  wind  passeth  over,  it  is  gone, 
And  the  place  thereof  knows  it  no  more. 

17  But  the  kindness  of  Jehovah  to  those  that  revere  Him, 

Endures  through  the  ages  everlasting; 
To  their  offspring  forever  is  His  righteousness  shown ; 

1 8  Unto  those  who  are  true  to  His  covenant, 

And  remember  His  commandments  to  do  them. 

19  Jehovah  established  His  throne  in  the  heavens, 
And  His  kingdom  shall  rule  over  all ; 

20  Bless  Jehovah,  His  angels, 

Ye  mighty  in  strength,  that  fulfil  His  command, 
That  hearken  to  the  voice  of  His  word. 

21  Bless  Jehovah,  all  His  hosts, 

Ye  that  serve  Him,  obeying  His  will; 

22  Bless  Jehovah,  all  His  works, 

Throughout  all  His  dominion; 
Bless  Jehovah,  my  soul. 


(5)  Perfects  thy  beauty.     Heb.  maintains  this  beauty.— Thy  youth 

fills  up   thine   ornament,   or,   that  is  renewed.     Not  meaning  a  sud- 

which    beautifies    thee.     The   noun  den  restoration  from  extreme  weak- 

''adi  C7J?)  is  difficult.     The  Septua-  ness,  but  a  continued  impartation  of 

gint   translators  render  it  cVdfo/u'a,  new  life ;  and  the  comparison  with 

desire,  which  seems   to  be   remote  the  eagle  is  an  allusion  to  the  long 

from  the   signification  of  the   He-  life  through  which  the  early  fire  and 

brew  word.     The  conjecture  is  haz-  force  of  the  royal  bird  continue  un- 

arded  that  they  regarded  'adi  here  diminished.    Delitzsch  speaks  of  the 

as  equivalent  to  hhamud,  an  object  renewing  of  the  feathers  of  the  eagle 

of  desire,   in   xxxix.  1 1,   where  the  in  his  annual  moulting,  as  an  emblem 

English   Bible  has,  "  Thou  makest  of  the  renewal  of  one's  youth  through 

his  beauty  to  consume  away  like  a  grace.     See  Is.  xl.  31. 

moth."     They  give  eTrtdv/u'a,  as  if  it  (15)  Mortals.    Heb.  ^enosh.  Man 

were  equivalent  to  the  concrete  form  as  weak  and  frail.     See  on  viii.  4. 

fmOvfuipa,  thinking  of  the  fresh  and  (17)  Through  the  ages  everlast- 

exuberant  strength  of  early  life  as  an  ing.     Heb.  from  ''oldm  to  ''oldm;  of 

ornament.    This  seems  to  be  the  po-  time   as  divided   into  immense  pe- 

et's  meaning.    It  is  confirmed  by  the  riods.     See  note  on  xc.  2. — To  their 

parallelism  with  "youth"  in  the  fol-  offspring    forever.      Heb.    to  chil- 

lowing  line.     The  good  he  speaks  of  drerfs  children.     Our  familiar  ver- 

has  reference  to  the  seasonable  sup-  sion  is  literal,  yet  misleading.     To 

plies   by  which  the  grace  of  God  get  the  full  conception  of  time  it 


244  THE   PSALMS. 

should  be  said  that  the  word  ben,  a  erations.     On  the  contrary,  the  par- 

son,  is  used  in  Hebrew  of  remote,  as  allelism  with  "ages  everlasting"  in 

well  as  of  immediate,  descendants,  the  former  line  of  the  couplet,  abso- 

There  is  nothing  in  the  expression  lutely  requires  indefinite  extension, 
that  limits  the  reference  to  two  gen- 


CIV. 


THE    HYMN   OF   CREATION. 

THE  subject  of  praise  in  this  Psalm  is  God's  working  in  the  kingdom  of 
nature,  as  that  of  the  preceding  was  His  working  in  the  kingdom  of 
grace.  "  The  poet  celebrates  in  his  song  the  present  continuance  of  the 
world  ordained  by  God,  bearing  in  mind  His  first  creative  work  recorded 
in  Gen.  i.  i-ii.  3,  and  concludes  with  the  desire  that  evil  may  be  banished 
from  this  fair  creation  which  reveals  universally  and  in  profusion  His  power, 
wisdom,  and  goodness."  —  Delitzsch. 

The  Psalm  is  a  lyric  masterpiece,  in  whose  beauty  and  grandeur  the  great- 
est minds  have  revelled  with  wonder  and  praise.  Among  others  Perowne 
quotes  from  Von  Humboldt,  the  great  naturalist  (Cosmos,  vol.  ii.  part  i.)  : 
"  It  might  almost  be  said  that  one  single  Psalm  represents  the  image  of  the 
whole  cosmos.  We  are  astonished  to  find  in  a  lyric  poem  of  such  limited 
compass  the  whole  universe,  —  the  heavens  and  the  earth,  —  sketched  with 
a  few  bold  touches.  The  contrast  of  the  labor  of  man  with  the  animal  life 
of  nature,  and  the  image  of  omnipresent,  invisible  power,  renewing  the 
earth  at  will,  or  sweeping  it  of  inhabitants,  is  a  grand  and  solemn  poetical 
creation." 

1.  The  work  of  the  first  and  second  days  ;  light,  the  sky,  clouds,  "winds,  lightnings 
(1-4)'  2-  The  original  chaotic  state,  and  the  separation  of  land  from  water  on  the 
third  day  (5-9).  8.  The  third  creative  day  continued;  the  growth  of  plants  and 
trees,  implying  irrigation  by  clouds  and  streams.  Here  the  poet  introduces  birds,  and 
creatures  of  the  field  and  forest,  which  do  not  appear  in  the  Mosaic  narrative  till 
much  later  (14-18).  4.  The  -work  of  the  fourth  day,  the  sun  and  moon,  but  with 
special  reference  to  men  and  animals  (19-29).  5.  The  poet,  having  already  woven 
into  his  song  part  of  the  work  of  the  fifth  and  sixth  days,  now  returns  to  it,  and  de- 
scribes the  sea  with  its  living  creatures^  —  these  with  all  else,  the  whole  visible  creation 
(ver.  27),  in  absolute  dependence  upon  God  (24-30).  6.  He  longs  to  see  the  bright 
original  restored  (31-35). 

1  Bless  Jehovah,  my  soul ; 

O  Jehovah,  my  God,  Thou  art  greatly  exalted, 
And  with  glory  and  grandeur  art  clothed ; 

2  Who  hast  robed  Thee  in  light  as  a  mantle, 
And  spread  out  the  heavens  like  a  tent-cloth ; 


PSALM   CIV.  245 

3  Who  frames  in  the  waters  His  upper  apartments ; 
Who  takes  clouds  as  His  chariots, 

And  goes  swiftly  on  the  wings  of  the  wind. 

4  Of  the  winds  He  makes  angels, 
Of  the  lightnings  His  servants. 

5  Who  founded  the  earth  on  its  base, 

That  it  may  not  be  shaken  forever  and  alway ; 

6  With  the  deep  as  a  robe  didst  Thou  cover  it, 
And  the  waters  stood  over  the  mountains ; 

7  But  they  fled  at  Thy  threatening, 

Made  escape  at  Thy  voice  in  the  thunder,  — 

8  The  mountains  rose  high,  and  the  valleys  sank  down, — 
Made  escape  to  the  place  Thou  hadst  founded ; 

9  A  bound  hast  Thou  set  which  they  may  not  pass  over, 
That  they  turn  not  again  to  cover  the  earth. 

10  Who  sends  springs  into  the  valleys, 
And  they  run  'twixt  the  mountains  ; 

1 1  They  give  drink  to  all  beasts  of  the  field, 
And  wild  asses  thereat  quench  their  thirst. 

1 2  Above  them  the  birds  of  the  air  have  their  home, 
That  give  voice  from  the  midst  of  the  boughs. 

13  From  His  storehouse  on  high  He  waters  the  mountains, 
The  earth  is  full  of  the  fruit  of  Thy  works. 

14  The  grass  He  makes  sprout  for  the  cattle, 

And  plants  for  the  service  of  man, 
So  that  bread  may  come  forth  from  the  earth ; 

15  That  the  heart  of  weak  man  may  be  gladdened  by  wine, 

That  his  face  may  be  shining  with  oil, 
And  that  bread  may  strengthen  his  heart. 

16  The  trees  of  Jehovah  are  filled, 

The  cedars  of  Lebanon  that  He  planted; 

17  Where  the  birds  build  their  nests, 
The  stork  has  its  home  in  the  cypress; 

1 8  The  wild  goats  have  high  mountains, 
And  the  cliffs  are  a  refuge  for  badgers. 


246  THE   PSALMS. 

19  The  moon  He  has  made  for  fixed  times, 
And  the  sun  knows  the  place  of  its  setting. 

20  Thou  appointest  the  darkness,  and  night  cometh  on, 
When  all  beasts  of  the  forest  are  astir. 

21  The  young  lions  then  roar  after  prey, 
From  God  they  are  seeking  their  food ; 

22  With  the  rise  of  the  sun  they  retire, 
And  lay  themselves  down  in  their  dens ; 

23  But  man  goes  forth  to  his  work, 
To  his  labour  till  evening. 


24  How  manifold  Thy  works,  O  Jehovah  ! 
In  wisdom  Thou  madest  them  all ; 

The  earth  is  full  of  Thy  creatures. 

25  Yonder  sea  is  great  and  wide  spreading, 
And  teeming  therein  without  number, 

Things  alive,  great  and  small ; 

26  And  there  go  the  ships, 

And  the  whales  Thou  hast  formed  to  gambol  therein ; 

27  All  these  look  intently  to  Thee, 

To  give  them  their  food  in  its  season ; 

28  That  Thou  givest  they  gather, 

Thou  openest  Thy  hand  to  fill  them  with  good. 

29  When  Thou  hidest  Thy  face,  they  are  affrighted  ; 
Thou  withd rawest  their  breath,  they  expire, 

And  return  to  their  dust. 

30  Thou  sendest  Thy  breath,  they  are  created, 
Thou  renewest  the  face  of  the  earth. 


31  Let  the  glory  of  Jehovah  forever  endure, 
Let  Jehovah  rejoice  in  His  works ; 

32  Who  looks  on  the  earth,  and  it  trembles, 
When  He  touches  the  mountains  they  quake. 

33  While  I  live  will  I  sing  to  Jehovah, 

To  my  God  with  the  harp  while  my  being  shall  last. 

34  Let  the  flow  of  my  heart  give  Thee  pleasure, 
And  let  joy  in  Jehovah  be  mine. 


PSALM   CV. 


247 


35    Let  sinners  be  swept  from  the  earth, 
And  the  wicked  be  no  more  ; 
Bless  Jehovah,  my  soul ; 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 


(2)  And  spread  out  the  heav- 
ens as  a  tent-cloth.     Compare  Is. 
xl.   22 :  "  That   stretcheth    out   the 
heavens  as  a  curtain,  and  spreadeth 
them  out  as  a  tent  to  dwell  in." 

(3)  Who  frames  in  the  waters 
His    upper    apartments.      Comp. 
Am.  ix.  6,  R.  V.,  "  It  is  He  that  build- 
eth  His  chambers  in  the  heaven,  and 
hath  founded   His   vault  upon  the 
earth."     The   "  waters  "   mentioned 
are  those  of  the  firmament,  especially 
as  collected  in  the  clouds ;  Gen.  i.  o, 
7.     "  If  the  lower   heaven   appears 
the  firm  underpart  of  the  heavenly 
building,  so  must  the  bright  watery 
clouds  reaching  into  infinite  heights, 
correspond  to  the  airy  lofts"  or  upper 
rooms   of  human  dwellings.      And 
from  these  very  heights  winds  and 
lightnings,  as  servants  of  Jehovah,  ap- 
pear to  hasten  into  the  lower  world." 

—  Ewald.  Compare  xviii.  n,  12. 
The  word  'eltyyah  here  represents 
the  virepnov  of  the  Septuagint  and 
New  Test.,  the  upper  chamber,  which 
was  the  highest,  and  sometimes  the 
largest,  room  in  an  Oriental  house, 
and  commonly  used  as  a  place  of 
retirement  and  comparative  seclu- 
sion. 

(4)  Of  the  winds  He  makes  an- 
gels.    That  is,  He  makes  use  of  the 
winds   as   angels.      The    rendering 
messengers  cannot  be  substituted  for 


angels  without  lowering  the  ruling 
conception  of  the  Psalm.  It  is  the 
grand  Theophany  in  nature,  cele- 
brating the  presence  and  activity  of 
God  in  the  material  universe.  In 
all  such  manifestations  we  not  only 
expect  the  attendance  of  competent 
messengers  and  ministers,  indefinite 
in  kind,  but  in  accordance  with  other 
Theophanic  descriptions,  the  intelli- 
gent spirits  whose  high  privilege  it 
is  to  abide  in  His  presence,  and  to  ac- 
company Him  whenever  He  appears 
among  men.  In  Job  xxxviii.  7  they 
are  shouting  for  joy  when  God  lays 
the  foundations  of  the  earth,  and  in 
Ps.  ciii.  20,  they  are  the  "mighty  in 
strength  that  fulfil  His  command, 
that  hearken  to  the  voice  of  His 
word."  But  here,  apparently,  He 
does  not  employ  them,  but  the  winds 
and  the  lightnings  instead.  This 
warrants  the  use  of  the  passage  in 
Heb.  i.  7.  The  writer  claims  that  in 
this  Psalm  they  are  classed  with  the 
winds  and  the  lightnings,  which  God 
at  His  pleasure  may  employ  as  their 
substitutes  in  the  kingdom  of  nature. 
(9)  A  bound  hast  Thou  set 
which  they  may  not  pass  over. 
Compare  Job  xxxviii.  8-1 1  in  the  Re- 
vised Version,  and  especially  ver.  10 
as  preferred  by  the  Amer.  Revisers, 
"'And  marked  out  for  it  my  bound, 
and  set  bars  and  doors." 


CV. 


THANKSGIVING    IN    CONNECTION  WITH   THE    EARLY    HISTORY 

OF  ISRAEL. 

THE  first  fifteen  verses  of  this  Psalm  are  found  in  i  Chron.xvi.,  as  part 
of  the  song  given  by  David  to  Asaph  and  his  brethren  to  be  sung 
when  the  ark  was  carried  to  its  resting-place  in  Zion.     It  is  there  combined 
with  Ps.  xcvi.  and  verses  from  cvi.  and  cvii.     This  proves  very  clearly  that 


248  THE   PSALMS. 

the  Psalm  there  given  is  a  compilation  from  other  sources,  and  not  the  orig- 
inal. The  Psalm  is  lyrical  rather  than  didactic.  Like  Psalm  Ixxviii.  it  is  a 
retrospect  of  the  history  of  Israel,  but  it  comes  no  further  down  than  the 
occupation  of  Canaan. 

It  resembles  the  preceding  Psalm  in  ending  with  "  Hallelujah,"  and  is  the 
first  of  a  series  which  begin  with  the  word  Hhodu,  Give  ye  thanks.  They 
are  cv.  cvii.  cviii.  and  cxxxvi. 

1,  An  invitation  to  thanksgiving  in  special  connection  with  God^s  covenant  with 
Abraham  (1-11).  2.  Celebration  of  God^s  goodness  to  Israel  previous  to  their  settle- 
ment in  Egypt  (12-24)  •  5.  The  plagues  inflicted  on  Egypt,  and  their  deliverance 
from  oppression  (25-88).  £.  Their  guidance  throiigh  the  wilderness  to  their  taking 
possession  of  Canaan  (3J-J.5). 

1  Give  thanks  to  Jehovah;   call  aloud  in  His  Name; 
Make  known  in  the  nations  His  doings. 

2  Unto  Him  raise  your  song,  unto  Him  strike  the  harp, 
And  rehearse  all  His  wonders. 

3  His  holy  Memorial  Name  be  your  boast, 

And  all  hearts  that  are  seeking  Jehovah  be  joyful. 

4  Enquire  for  Jehovah  and  His  strength, 
Yea,  seek  ye  His  face  evermore. 

5  Remember  the  marvellous  works  He  hath  done ; 
His  wonders  bear  in  mind, 

And  the  judgments  that  fell  from  His  mouth, 

6  O  ye  offspring  of  Abraham,  His  servant, 
Ye  children  of  Jacob,  His  chosen. 

7  He,  Jehovah,  is  our  God ; 

His  judgments  are  through  the  whole  earth ; 

8  He  remembers  His  covenant  forever, 

The  word  He  ordained  for  a  thousand  generations ; 

9  The  covenant  He  established  with  Abraham, 
And  His  oath  unto  Isaac ; 

'    10   And  confirmed  as  a  statute  to  Jacob, 
To  Israel  for  a  covenant  everlasting ; 

1 1  When  He  said,  "  I  will  give  you  the  country  of  Canaan, 
As  your  heritage  measured  by  line." 

12  When  as  yet  they  were  few  in  the  land, 
Very  few,  and  as  strangers  therein, 

13  And  from  people  to  people  went  about, 
And  from  kingdom  to  kingdom  passed  on ; 


PSALM    CV. 

14  He  let  no  man  oppress  them, 

And  kings  He  rebuked  for  their  sake : 

15  "  Do  not  touch  Mine  anointed, 
Nor  harm  ye  My  prophets." 

1 6  Then  He  called  for  a  dearth  on  the  land, 
And  brake  up  the  whole  staff  of  their  bread. 

17  He  sent  one  before  them ; 

Even  Joseph  was  sold  to  be  a  slave. 

1 8  His  feet  they  afflicted  with  fetters, 
Into  irons  came  his  soul ; 

19  Till  the  time  that  his  word  came  to  pass, 
That  spoken  by  Jehovah  which  proved  him. 

20  The  king  sent  and  loosed  him, 
The  ruler  of  nations  set  him  free,  — 

21  Made  him  lord  of  his  house, 

And  the  ruler  of  all  his  possessions  ; 

22  His  princes  to  bind  at  his  pleasure, 
And  his  elders  make  wise. 

23  So  Israel  went  down  into  Egypt, 

And  Jacob  sojourned  in  the  country  of  Ham. 

24  His  people  He  multiplied  greatly, 

And  stronger  than  their  enemies  made  them, 

25  Whose  heart  He  turned  that  they  hated  His  people, 
And  defrauded  His  servants. 

26  Then  He  sent  to  them  Moses  His  servant, 
And  Aaron  a  man  He  had  chosen ; 

27  Who  performed  there  the  signs  He  commanded, 
And  prodigies  wrought  in  the  country  of  Ham. 

28  By  them  He  sent  darkness,  and  darkness  came  on, 
For  they  did  not  rebel  at  His  word. 

29  The  waters  He  turned  into  blood, 
And  so  killed  all  the  fish ; 

30  The  land  swarmed  with  frogs, 

Which  came  up  to  the  abode  of  their  kings ; 

31  When  He  spake  there  came  gad-flies, 
And  in  all  their  borders  were  gnats ; 


249 


250  THE    PSALMS. 

32  For  rain  He  gave  hail, 

While  flames  flashed  about  in  their  land ; 

33  It  smote  down  their  vines  and  their  fig-trees,  — 
Brake  asunder  the  trees  of  their  border. 

34  He  spake  and  the  locusts  came  in, 
Things  that  fly,  without  number; 

35  That  devoured  all  the  plants  of  their  land, 
That  devoured  all  the  fruit  of  their  soil. 

36  Then  He  smote  in  the  land  all  their  firstborn, 
The  firstlings  of  strength  every  one ; 

37  But  He  brought  forth  His  people  with  silver  and  gold, 
Not  a  man  in  His  tribes  became  faint. 

38  Their  going  filled  Egypt  with  joy, 
For  their  terror  had  fallen  upon  it. 

39  He  spread  for  their  covering  a  cloud, 
And  fire  to  give  light  in  the  night. 

40  When  they  asked  He  brought  quails, 
And  filled  them  with  bread  out  of  heaven : 

41  He  opened  a  rock  and  the  waters  gushed  out, 
And  flowed  through  the  wastes  like  a  river; 

42  For  His  holy  word  He  remembered, 
And  Abraham  His  servant; 

43  And  He  brought  forth  His  people  with  gladness, 
With  singing  He  brought  forth  His  chosen; 

44  And  He  gave  them  the  lands  of  the  heathen, 
They  inherit  the  toil  of  the  nations ; 

45  That  His  laws  they  might  keep, 
His  commandments  observe; 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH! 

(15)   Mine    anointed  .  .   .  My  to  the  latter  designation  is  in  Gen. 

prophets.     The    former   of    these  xx.  7,  where  Abraham  is   called  a 

words  in  the  Divine  utterance  has  prophet,  as  being  the  recipient  of  a 

reference  to  Gen.  xvii.  6,  16,  where  Divine  revelation  for  His  descend- 

Abraham  is  consecrated  to  be  the  ants,  a  spokesman  for  God.     For 

father  of  peoples,  and  even  of  kings,  the  meaning  of  the  word,  both  in  the 

and  Sarah  to  be  a  princess.     They  Old  Testament  and  the  New,  we  go 

are  called  anointed  as  Divinely  cho-  back  to  Ex.  vii.  I,  comparing  it  with 

sen  to  their  high  position.     The  key  iv.  16. 


PSALM   CVL  251 

CVI. 

A  CONFESSION  OF  NATIONAL  UNFAITHFULNESS. 

THIS  is  the  first  of  the  sixteen  Hallelujah  Psalms.     The  others  are  cxi. 
cxiii.  cxvii.  cxxxv.  cxli.-cl.     It  is  retrospective  like  the  preceding, 
but  unlike  it,  is  penitential.     It  must  probably  be  assigned  to  the  time  of 
the  exile. 

1.  A  call  to  thanksgiving,  with  recognition  of  God's  power  and  justice,  and  prayer 
for  personal  favour  in  fellowship  with  His  people  (1-5).  2.  A  penitent  confession 
describing  the  conduct  of  the  fathers  in  the  desert  (6-33),  and  afterward  in  the  Holy 
Land  (34-46).  3.  A  prayer  for  deliverance  from  the  present  captivity ,  followed  by 
a  Doxology  attached  to  this  Psalm,  as  the  last  in  the  Fourth  Book  (47,  48)- 

1  PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH; 

To  Jehovah  give  thanks,  for  He  is  good, 
For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 

2  Who  can  rehearse  the  mighty  acts  of  Jehovah, 
Or  declare  all  His  praise? 

3  How  blest  are  the  men  that  do  justice, 
Whose  deeds  at  all  times  are  right ! 

4  O  Jehovah,  bear  me  ever  in  mind, 

With  the  favour  Thou  showest  Thy  people ; 
Oh,  come  in  Thy  might  of  salvation, 

5  That  the  good  of  Thy  chosen  I  may  see, 

And  the  joy  of  Thy  nation  may  hear, 
And  thus  with  Thy  heritage  glory. 

6  We  have  sinned  like  our  fathers ; 

We  are  guilty,  our  deeds  have  been  evil. 

7  Our  fathers  in  Egypt  observed  not  Thy  wonders, 

And  Thy  great  lovingkindness  forgat; 
At  the  Sea,  the  Red  Sea,  they  rebelled. 

8  Nevertheless,  for  His  Name's  sake  He  saved  them, 
That  His  strength  might  be  known. 

9  He  rebuked  and  dried  up  the  Red  Sea ; 

Through  the  depths  as  on  a  plain  did  He  lead  them ; 
10    He  saved  them  from  the  enemy's  hand, 

From  the  power  of  the  foe  He  redeemed  them  ; 


252  THE   PSALMS. 

1 1  But  the  waters  overwhelmed  their  oppressors, 
Of  these  not  one  was  remaining ; 

12  Then  believed  they  His  word, 
And  they  sang  in  His  praise. 

13  Very  soon  forgat  they  His  deeds  ; 
His  purpose  they  would  not  await; 

14  In  the  wilderness,  greedy  as  gluttons, 
In  the  desert,  they  tempted  their  God. 

15  So  He  gave  what  they  asked  for, 
But  sickness  sent  into  their  soul. 

.16    In  the  camp  they  were  incensed  at  Moses, 
And  at  Aaron,  the  holy  of  Jehovah ; 

17  The  earth  opened  wide  and  swallowed  up  Dathan, 
And  covered  the  band  of  Abiram ; 

1 8  A  fire  then  burned  up  their  band, 
A  flame  consumed  the  ungodly. 

19  They  made  at  Mount  Horeb  a  calf, 
And  worshipped  the  image  they  cast; 

20  And  their  Glory  they  bartered, 

For  the  form  of  an  ox  that  eats  grass ; 

21  They  forgat  the  God  who  had  saved  them, 
Who  in  Egypt  performed  so  great  deeds,  — 

22  Yea,  wonderful  works  in  the  country  of  Ham, 
And  terrible  deeds  at  the  Sea ; 

23  And  He  said  He  would  bring  them  to  an  end, 

But  Moses,  His  chosen,  in  the  breach  stood  before  Him, 
To  turn  back  His  wrath  from  destroying. 

24  Yea,  they  lightly  esteemed  the  fair  land  He  had  promised, 
They  believed  not  His  word  ; 

25  But  complained  in  their  tents, 

And  obeyed  not  the  voice  of  Jehovah ; 

26  Then  He  sware  with  His  hand  lifted  high, 
In  the  desert  to  fell  them ; 

27  Through  the  nations  to  scatter  their  offspring, 
In  the  lands  to  disperse  them. 

28  They  clave  to  Baal  Peor, 

And  feasted  on  sacrifice  slain  to  dead  idols; 


PSALM   CVI. 

29  By  their  deeds  they  provoked  Him, 
And  the  plague  burst  upon  them. 

30  Then  Phinehas  rose,  interceding, 
And  the  plague  was  restrained  ; 

3 1  And  this  was  to  him  for  righteousness  counted, 
To  all  generations  forever. 

32  They  stirred  up  His  wrath  at  the  waters  of  Strife, 
And  Moses  fared  ill  for  their  sakes ; 

33  They  rebelled  against  the  Spirit, 

So  that  then  with  his  lips  he  spake  idly. 

34  They  did  not  extinguish  the  nations, 
As  Jehovah  commanded ; 

35  But  mingled  with  heathen, 
And  practised  their  works  ; 

36  They  worshipped  their  idols, 
Which  became  to  them  snares; 

37  They  sacrificed  sons, 

And  their  daughters  to  demons  ;     ' 

38  And  so  they  shed  innocent  blood, 

The  blood  of  their  sons  and  their  daughters, 
Offered  up  to  the  idols  of  Canaan, 

And  the  land  was  polluted  with  blood. 

39  Their  doings  defiled  them, 
Their  ways  were  impure. 

40  Then  against  His  own  people, 

The  wrath  of  Jehovah  was  kindled ; 
He  abhorred  His  possession,  — 

41  Gave  them  up  to  the  hand  of  the  nations, 
And  their  foes  were  their  rulers ; 

42  Their  enemies  crushed  them, 

And  made  them  bow  down  'neath  their  hand. 

43  Though  often  He  came  to  their  rescue, 

They  rebelled  in  self  will, 
And  they  fell  in  their  guilt. 

44  But  He  looked  on  their  trouble, 
When  He  heard  their  loud  cry,  — 


253 


254  THE   PSALMS. 

45  In  their  favour  remembered  His  covenant, 
And  relented  in  His  great  lovingkindness ; 

46  He  procured  them  compassion, 

In  the  presence  of  all  that  enslaved  them. 

47  Oh,  save  us,  Jehovah,  our  God ; 

Bring  us  in  from  the  nations, 
To  Thy  holy  Name  to  give  thanks, 

And  triumphantly  shout  in  Thy  praise. 

48  Blessed  be  Jehovah,  who  is  Israel's  God, 

Through  the  ages  everlasting ; 
Let  all  people  say,  "  Amen  !  " 
PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH. 


in  b 


[32)  The  -waters  of  Strife  —  as  note  at  xc.  2.     Heb.from  ^oldm  to 

in  Ixxxi.  7.     Heb.  of^Meribah.     See  ''olam,  of  time  as  divided  into  im- 

xcv.  n,  and  Ex.  xvii.  7.  measurable   periods;    Ps.  xc.  2  re- 

(48)  Through  the  ages  everlast-  lates   to  the   past,   but  these    dox- 

ing.     As  in  xli.  13,  the  doxology  to  ologies  to  the  future, 
the  First  Book  of  the  Psalter.     See 


BOOK    V. 


CVII. 

SAVED   OUT   OF  MANY  DISTRESSES. 

THIS  Psalm  probably  belongs  to  the  period  of  the  captivity  in  Babylon. 
Although  in  some  features  it  resembles  the  two  that  precede  it,  it  is 
not  historical.     It  describes  the  perils  of  various  conditions  of  human  life, 
and  celebrates  the  power  and  goodness  of  God  in  the  deliverance  of  those 
who  cry  to  Him. 

1.  The  liturgical  formula  of  intercession,  as  in  cvi.  1,  in  which  the  returning  exiles 
are  invited  to  join  (1-3).  2.  The  mercy  of  God  in  various  deliverances  is  commemo- 
rated;  from  homeless  wanderings  (£-9),  from  imprisonment  (10- -16),  from  peril  of 
sickness  (17-22],  and  from  dangers  of  the  deep  (23-32}.  3.  The  controlling  power 
of  God  in  the  varying  fortunes  of  men  and  nations  is  described  (33-4,2).  4.  Men 
are  urged  to  consider  wisely  the  whole  of  God's  disposing  guidance,  as  just  described. 

1  Give  thanks  to  Jehovah,  for  He  is  good ; 
For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 

2  Let  the  redeemed  of  Jehovah  thus  say, 

Even  those  He  redeemed  from  the  hand  of  their  foes, 

3  And  brought  in  from  the  lands, 
From  the  east  and  the  west, 

From  the  north  and  the  south. 

4  They  roved  through  the  wilds  in  a  desolate  way, 
And  they  found  no  city  to  dwell  in ; 

5  Hungry  and  thirsty, 
Their  soul  fainted  in  them  ; 

6  Then  they  cried  to  Jehovah  in  their  trouble, 
And  He  saved  them  from  all  their  distresses ; 

7  By  right  ways  did  He  lead  them, 
To  go  to  a  city  to  dwell  in. 


256  THE   PSALMS. 

8  Let  them  praise  Jehovah  for  His  kindness, 

And  His  wonderful  works  to  the  children  of  men; 

9  For  He  satisfies  souls  that  are  longing, 
And  filleth  the  hungry  with  good. 

10  They  that  sat  in  the  darkness,  the  shadow  of  death, 
That  were  fettered  in  misery  and  iron, 

1 1  Because  they  rebelled  at  the  words  of  the  Almighty, 
And  despised  the  purpose  of  God,  the  Most  High,  — 

12  He  humbled  their  soul  with  sore  travail, 
And  they  stumbled  with  no  one  to  help. 

13  In  their  trouble  they  cried  to  Jehovah, 

And  He  saved  them  from  all  their  distresses. 

14  Out  of  darkness,  the  shadow  of  death,  did  He  bring  them, 
And  their  bonds  burst  asunder. 

1 5  Let  them  praise  Jehovah  for  His  kindness, 

And  His  wonderful  works  to  the  children  of  men ; 

1 6  For  the  gates  of  brass  hath  He  shattered, 
And  bars  of  iron  heweth  down. 

17  Foolish  men,  for  their  course  of  transgression, 
And  because  of  their  guilt  had  to  suffer; 

1 8  Their  soul  abhorring  all  food, 

They  drew  near  to  the  gateways  of  death ; 

19  In  their  trouble  they  cried  to  Jehovah, 
And  He  saved  them  from  all  their  distresses. 

20  He  sent  forth  His  word,  and  He  healed  them, 
From  their  pitfalls  He  gave  them  escape. 

21  Let  them  praise  Jehovah  for  His  kindness, 

And  His  wonderful  works  to  the  children  of  men. 

22  In  offering  let  them  bring  Him  thanksgiving, 
And  tell  of  His  works  amid  shoutings  of  joy. 

23  They  that  in  ships  go  down  on  the  sea, 
That  do  business  upon  the  great  waters ; 

24  It  is  these  that  have  sight  of  the  works  of  Jehovah, 
And  His  wonders  behold  in  the  deep ; 

25  He  spake  and  He  raised  up  the  blast  of  the  storm, 
Which  lifted  its  billows  on  high  ; 


PSALM   CVII.  257 

26  They  went  up  to  the  heavens,  and  down  to  the  depths ; 
Their  soul  was  dissolved  by  their  trouble. 

27  They  staggered  and  reeled  like  the  drunkard, 
And  all  their  wise  thoughts  disappeared ; 

28  In  their  trouble  they  cried  to  Jehovah, 

And  He  saved  them  from  all  their  distresses  ;  — 

29  Turned  the  storm  into  stillness, 
And  the  billows  were  hushed  ; 

30  Then  were  they  joyful,  because  they  were  quiet, 
And  He  led  them  to  the  haven  they  desired. 

31  Let  them  praise  Jehovah  for  His  kindness, 

For  His  wonderful  works  to  the  children  of  men ; 

32  And  extol  Him  in  the  assembly  of  the  people, 
Give  Him  praise  in  the  council  of  the  elders. 

33  He  turned  streams  into  desert, 
Fountains  of  water  into  a  region  athirst; 

34  Fruitful  lands  into  a  barren, 

For  the  wickedness  wrought  by  those  dwelling  therein: 

35  But  a  desert  He  turned  into  pools, 
Dry  land  into  fountains  of  water ; 

36  He  made  there  a  home  for  the  hungry, 
And  they  built  them  a  city  to  dwell  in. 

37  They  sowed  fields,  planted  vineyards, 
And  gat  fruits  to  enrich  them. 

38  He  gave  them  His  blessing, 

And  they  multiplied  greatly; 
He  let  not  their  cattle  become  few. 

39  And  when  they  decreased,  and  were  brought  very  low, 
Through  oppression,  and  trouble,  and  sorrow, 

40  Then  He  that  pours  scorn  upon  princes, 
And  in  pathless  wastes  makes  them  wander, 

41  Set  the  wretched  on  high  from  affliction, 
And  families  He  gave  like  a  flock. 

42  The  upright  behold  and  are  glad, 
And  all  the  unrighteous  are  silenced. 

43  He  that  is  wise  will  consider  these  things, 
And  shall  know  the  kindness  of  Jehovah. 

17 


258  THE   PSALMS. 

(8)  Let  them  praise.     The  ren-  gression.     So   Heb.  and  marg.   of 

dering  is  literal.     The  reference  is  the  Rev.  Version, 

not  to  men  in  general,  as  in  the  Eng-  (20)  Their  pitfalls.    So  Heb.  and 

lish  Bible,  but  to  such  as  have  just  marg.  of  the  Rev.  Version. 

been  referred  to;  so  in  verses  15,  (27)  And  all  their  wise  thoughts 

21,  31.  disappeared.     Heb.  and  all  their 

(17)  For  their  course  of  trans-  wisdom  is  swallowed  up. 


CVIII. 

MAN  CONFIDING  AND   GOD   PROSPERING. 

FRAGMENTS  of  the   Davidic   Psalms   are  here  brought  together; 
Ps.  Ivii.  7-1 1,  and  Ix.  6-12.     It  is  in  the  highest  degree  improbable 
that  this  would  have  been  done  by  David  himself.     There  are  some  varia- 
tions, especially  that  in  ver.  9,  which  may  indicate  adaptation  to  a  later 
occasion,  perhaps  a  victory  over  the  Edomites. 

i 

A   SONG.      A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  Steadfast,  O  God,  is  my  heart ; 

I  will  sing  and  will  play,  yea,  even  my  glory. 

2  Arouse,  lute  and  harp  ; 

I  will  rouse  up  the  dawn. 

3  Midst  the  peoples,  Jehovah,  will  I  praise  Thee, 
And  to  Thee  strike  the  harp  midst  the  nations ; 

4  For  great  o'er  the  heavens  is  Thy  kindness, 
And  Thy  truth  reaches  up  to  the  skies. 

5  Even  higher  than  the  heavens  be  exalted,  O  God, 
And  above  the  whole  earth  be  Thy  glory. 

6  For  the  rescue  of  Him  whom  Thou  lovest, 
Let  Thy  saving  right  hand  give  us  answer. 

7  It  is  God  in  His  holiness  who  promised, 

I  therefore  will  triumph  ; 
I  will  portion  out  Shechem, 
And  distribute  the  valley  of  Succoth ; 

8  Gilead  is  mine,  and  mine  is  Manasseh, 

With  Ephraim  the  shield  of  my  head, 
And  Judah  my  sceptre  of  rule. 


PSALM   CIX.  259 

9   My  washpot  is  Moab, 

I  cast  off  my  shoe  upon  Edom ; 
Over  me,  O  Philistia,  shout  aloud. 

10  Who  to  the  fortified  city  will  bring  me, 
Who  can  conduct  me  to  Edom  ? 

11  O  God,  hast  Thou  not  cast  us  off, 

And  no  longer,  O  God,  wilt  go  forth  with  our  hosts? 

12  Oh,  give  us  Thy  help  from  the  oppressor, 
For  vain  is  deliverance  by  man. 

13  Through  God  we  shall  conquer; 

It  is  He  that  shall  stamp  on  our  foes. 

For  notes  on  verses  7-9  see  on  Ix.  5-8. 


CIX. 

THE  ADVERSARY  JUDGED. 

THE  Apostle  Peter  in  Acts  i.  16,  cites  this  Psalm  together  with  Ps.  Ixix. 
as  fulfilled  in  the  treachery  of  Judas.     This  indicates  that  it  is  typi- 
co-prophetical.     That  it  is  distinctly  Messianic,  having  reference  to  the 
sufferings  of  Christ,  is  less  probable. 

1.  God  is  appealed  to  against  the  malignant  (1-5).  2.  An  individual  enemy  is 
singled  out,  upon  whom  and  his  family  the  retributive  justice  of  God  is  invoked 
{6-20).  3.  Divine  compassion  is  implored  on  the  ground  of  personal  feebleness  and 
suffering  (31-25).  4-  A  closing  entreaty  that  God^s  power  and  mercy  may  be  shown, 
•with  confident  and  joyful  anticipation  of  a  favourable  answer  (26-81). 

FOR  THE   LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      BY   DAVID.      A   PSALM. 

1  O  God  of  my  praise,  be  not  silent; 

2  For  mouths  of  wickedness,  mouths  of  deceit, 

Have  they  opened  against  me ; 
They  have  spoken  against  me  with  slanderous  tongues. 

3  They  beset  me  with  clamours  of  hatred, 
And  against  me  made  war  without  cause. 

4  In  return  for  my  love  they  withstood  me, 
Whilst  I  was  all  prayer. 

5  They  reward  me  with  evil  for  good; 
And  for  love  they  give  hatred. 


260  THE   PSALMS. 

6  Appoint  Thou  a  wicked  man  over  him, 
Let  an  enemy  stand  at  his  right : 

7  When  judged,  let  him  go  forth  as  guilty; 

Let  his  prayer  become  sin : 

8  Let  his  days  become  few, 

And  his  office  be  filled  by  another: 

9  Let  his  children  be  orphans, 
And  his  wife  be  a  widow : 

10  Let  his  sons  become  vagrants  and  beggars, 

And  seek  alms  far  away  from  their  desolate  home. 

1 1  All  that  he  has,  let  extortioners  snare, 
And  aliens  strip  off  the  fruit  of  his  toil. 

12  Let  none  extend  kindness  to  himself, 
Nor  pity  his  fatherless  children. 

13  Be  the  heirs  of  his  body  cut  off, 

In  the  next  generation  their  names  blotted  out 

14  Let  Jehovah  remember  the  guilt  of  his  fathers, 
And  let  not  the  sin  of  his  mother  be  expunged  ; 

15  Before  Jehovah  let  it  alway  continue, 

That  their  memory  may  cease  from  the  earth. 

1 6  Because  he  forgat  to  show  kindness; 

But  the  suffering  and  needy  and  broken  in  heart, 
He  pursued  unto  death. 

17  The  cursing  he  loved,  it  alighted  upon  him; 
Since  from  blessing  he  gathered  no  pleasure, 

It  removed  far  away  from  himself. 

1 8  He  clothed  him  with  cursing  as  raiment, 
And  it  entered  his  substance  like  water, 

And  like  oil  it  coursed  in  his  bones. 

19  Let  it  be  like  the  coat  he  puts  on, 

Like  the  belt  which  he  ever  girds  about  him. 

20  This  is  the  wage  of  my  foes  from  Jehovah, 
Of  those  that  plan  harm  to  my  life. 

21  But  thou,  O  Jehovah,  the  Lord, 

For  Thy  Name's  sake,  come  help  me ; 
Forasmuch  as  Thy  kindness  is  good,  give  me  rescue. 


PSALM   CIX.  26l 

22  For  I  am  suffering  and  needy, 

And  my  heart  is  sore  wounded  within  me. 

23  Like  a  shadow  grown  long  I  pass  off; 
I  am  driven  away  like  the  locust ; 

24  My  knees  falter  through  fasting, 

And  my  flesh  falls  away  from  its  fulness. 

25  I  am  become  their  reviling, 

When  they  see  me  they  fling  up  their  head. 

26  Give  me  help,  O  Jehovah,  my  God, 

In  Thine  own  lovingkindness,  oh  save  me  ; 

27  Let  them  know,  too,  that  this  is  Thy  hand, 
That  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  hast  done  it. 

28  For  cursing  is  theirs,  it  is  Thine  to  give  blessing; 
When  they  arise,  Thou  wilt  put  them  to  shame, 

And  Thy  servant  will  triumph. 

29  Be  mine  enemies  clothed  with  disgrace, 
Yea,  enwrapped  in  their  shame  like  a  mantle; 

30  And  thanks  great  and  loud  will  I  give  to  Jehovah ; 
In  the  midst  of  the  throng  will  I  praise  Him. 

31  He  stands  at  the  right  of  the  needy, 

To  save  him  from  those  that  give  doom  to  his  soul. 

(4)  I  was  all  prayer.     Heb.  and  designation,    Satan;    here,    in    the 

/  prayer;  meaning  /  was  absorbed  more  general  sense,  an  adversary, 

in  prayer,  or  did  nothing  but  pray.  (10)  Their  desolate  homes.  Heb. 

(6)  Let  an  enemy  stand  at  his  their  ruins. 

right.     This  is  not  the  position  of  (21)  Come   help  me.     Heb.  act 

an  accuser,  but  of  one  who  aids,  or  with  me;  that  is,  in  my  behalf,  or 

resists,  the  most  effective  employ-  assisting  me. 

ment  of  the  right  hand ;  in  the  one  (23)  Like  a  shadow  grown  long 

case  to  strengthen  and  help,  in  the  I  pass  off.    (Heb.7^0)  ;  that  is,  as  a 

other,  as  here,  to  paralyze  and  hinder,  shadow  lengthens  when  the  sun  is 

For  the  former  see  xvi.  8,  ex.  5,  for  declining  and  the  night  is  at  hand, 

the  latter  Zech.  iii.  i.     In  this  last  See  on  cii.  n.  —  Like  the  locust; 

instance,  as  here,  we  find  the  He-  as  driven  by  the  wind.     See  Ex.  xx. 

but  there,  as  a  personal  13,  19. 


262  THE   PSALMS. 

ex. 

PRIEST  AND   KING  AT  THE   RIGHT   HAND   OF  GOD. 

THE  words  of  our  Saviour  recorded  in  Matt.  xxii.  41-46,  Mark  xiii. 
35-37,  Luke  xx.  41-44,  preclude  any  other  view  than  that  this  Psalm 
is  a  direct  prophecy  of  Himself.  In  accordance  with  these  words  there  is 
no  reference  here  to  David,  or  to  any  king  of  Israel,  as  a  type  of  Christ. 
The  Psalm  is  thus  raised  to  a  higher  plane  than  most  other  Messianic 
Psalms.  There  is  indeed  a  typical  groundwork  in  the  two  offices  held  by 
men  Divinely  appointed  under  the  Old  Testament,  and  especially  by  Mel- 
chisedek,  king  of  Salem,  and  priest  of  the  Most  High  God,  but  in  the 
Psalm  Christ  only  is  addressed  or  described. 

1.  A  call  of  Jehovah  upon  David's  Lord  to  a  place  at  His  own  right  hand  (!},  and 
grounded  upon  this  a  twofold  assurance :  (a)  Of  a  triumphant  extension  of  His 
kingdom,  out  of  Zion  (2)  ;  (b)  Of  the  accession  of  an  army  of  youthful  -warriors 
who  have  consecrated  themselves  to  His  service  (3}.  2.  A  further  declaration  of  Je- 
hovah that  this  king  is  a  priest  forever,  not  after  the  Levitical  order,  but  conformed 
to  an  older  type,  more  expressive  of  the  Divine  purpose  to  be  hereafter  realized  (4). 
3.  An  assurance  of  his  final  victory  and  triumph  over  all  enemies  (5,  6). 

A  PSALM   OF  DAVID. 

1  Jehovah  said  to  my  Lord, 

"  Sit  enthroned  on  My  right, 
Till  I  make  those  that  hate  thee, 
A  stool  for  Thy  feet. 

2  Thy  sceptre  of  power, 

Will  Jehovah  send  forth  out  of  Zion ; 
Have  dominion  in  the  midst  of  Thy  foes." 

3  Thy  people  will  come  as  gifts  of  free  will, 

On  the  day  Thy  forces  assemble ; 
Thine  are  Thy  youth  in  holy  attire, 

Like  the  dew  that  is  born  of  the  dawn. 

4  Jehovah  hath  sworn  and  He  will  not  repent : 

"  Thou  art  ever  a  priest, 
Melchizedek's  order  Thy  type." 

5  At  Thy  right  hand  the  Lord 

Has  smitten  down  kings  in  the  day  of  His  wrath. 


PSALM   CX. 


263 


6  He  judges  the  nations, 

They  are  filled  with  the  dead ; 
He  has  smitten  down  heads  over  wide-spreading  lands ; 

7  He  drinks  of  the  brook  by  the  way, 
And  therefore  He  lifts  up  His  head. 


(1)  Jehovah  has  said.     Heb.  ne- 
'um  Yehovah  (Hirr  DW),  lit.  oracle 
of  Jehovah,  the  usual  opening,  in  the 
prophetical  Books,  of  the  immediate 
utterance  of  God  Himself.    See  note 
on  xxxvi.  i. —  Sit  enthroned  on  My 
right.     A  seat  at  the  right  hand  of 
Jehovah   is  not  merely  a  place  of 
high  honour,  but  of  association  in 
royal  majesty  and  rule,  as  indicated 
in  all  that  follows.  —  Till  I  make. 
The  particle  Itf  (until)  does  not  in- 
dicate that  at  the  time  specified  what 
is  referred  to  shall  cease,  but  the 
contrary,  as  in  cxii.  8  ;  Gen.  xlix.  10. 
Yet  it  may  point  to  entrance  upon 
new  conditions,  dependent  upon  what 
shall  then  have  occurred.     See  Acts 
iii.  21  ;   i  Cor.  xv.  25. 

(2)  Thy  sceptre.   The  whole  con- 
text shows  that  this  is  not  a  rod 
of   chastisement  as  in   ii.  9,   but  a 
symbol  of  royal  rule.     See,  for  the 
same  word,  Jer.  xlviii.  17 ;  Ezek.  xix. 
11-14. 

(3)  Will  come  as  gifts  of  free 
•will.     Heb.  are  free-will  offerings. 
See  the  same  word  in  Ixviii.  9,  of  a 
heavy  shower  watering  the  earth  pro- 
fusely ;  geshem  n'daboth,  lit.  a  rain 
of  free-will  offerings.     See  the  cor- 
responding  verb,    in    the    reflexive 
form,  Judg.  v.  2.  —  On  the  day  Thy 
forces  assemble.     Heb.  in  the  day 
of  Thy  power,  or  forces.     The  word 
hhdyil,  prop,  strength,  is  often  used 
of  an  army;  Ex.  xiv.  28;  i  Kings 
xx.  25,  etc.  —  In  holy  attire.     Lit. 
in  holy  ornaments.     So  in  marg.  of 
R.  V.  and  preferred  for  the  text  in 
Am.  Revisers'  Appendix.     Holy  at- 
tire is  a  symbol  of  consecration  to 
the  service  of  the  Messiah  in  bring- 
ing the  world  under  His  rule.     For 
clearness'  sake  the  order  of  the  He- 
brew has  been  somewhat  changed : 


In  holy  attire  out  of  the  womb  of  the 
dawn,  to  thee  (thine)  is  the  dew  of 
thy  youthful  ones.  The  young  men 
who  have  consecrated  themselves  to 
this  service  are  compared  to  the  dew 
which  descends  upon  the  king,  as  if 
the  innumerable  drops  were  children 
of  the  dawn  (Delitzsch).  There  may 
be  some  reference  to  the  dew  as  re- 
freshing and  beautiful,  but  princi- 
pally to  its  profuseness,  the  immense 
multitude  of  drops.  See  2  Sam.  xvii. 
12. 

(4)  Melchizedek's  order  Thy 
type.  H eb.  'al  dibrathi  Malklzedek. 
after  the  description  of.  In  Heb. 
vii.  15  we  find  the  alternative  ex- 
pression Kara  TTJV  o/uoiorTjra,  according 
to  the  likeness  of,  which  is  the  exact 
meaning,  the  writer  there  claiming 
that  Christ  was  "  made  like  to  Mel- 
chizedek,"  that  is,  that  the  priest- 
hood of  Melchizedek  was  a  Divinely 
instituted  prophetic  figure  or  type  of 
the  priesthood  of  Christ,  especially 
in  its  combination  with  his  royal  do- 
minion. He  is  not  descended  from 
Levi,  but  from  Judah,  and  is  a  king 
on  the  throne  of  David,  yet  He  is  a 
priest,  a  high-priest  in  the  temple 
of  God.  See  the  important  parallel 
passage,  though  Melchizedek  is  not 
mentioned,  Zech.  vi.  12,  13.  There 
are  other  typical  resemblances  ex- 
hibited in  the  Epistle,  in  reply  to 
Jews  who  questioned  whether  Christ, 
as  descended  from  Judah,  could  be 
a  priest;  principally  that  Melchize- 
dek's name,  parentage,  birth,  and 
death  were  not  to  be  found  in  any 
priestly  genealogy,  and  that  he  owed 
his  position  to  direct  Divine  appoint- 
ment on  personal  grounds,  and  not 
to  descent  from  an  hereditary  line ; 
and  further  that  he  had  no  succes- 
sor in  his  priesthood,  but  held  it  till 


264 


THE   PSALMS. 


the  object  of  his  appointment  was 
accomplished.  The  writer  proves 
in  this  and  other  ways,  not  only  that 
Christ  was  truly  a  priest,  but  that 
His  priesthood  was  superior  to  that 
of  Aaron  ;  and  still  further,  that  the 
introduction,  under  the  Divine  prom- 
ise and  oath,  of  a  priest  after  the 
prophetic  similitude  of  Melchizedek, 
and  not  of  Aaron,  proves  the  insuffi- 
ciency of  the  latter,  supersedes  and 
annuls  it,  and  so  virtually  abrogates 
the  whole  Levitical  law,  which  was 
founded  upon  the  priesthood,  and 
could  not  subsist  without  it ;  Heb. 
vii.  1 1-19.  There  is  no  mystery  con- 
nected with  Melchizedek  or  his 
priesthood.  The  Rev.  Ver.  has  ren- 
dered an  important  service  in  sub- 
stituting "without  genealogy"  for 
"without  descent"  in  vii.  3.  The 
sole  meaning  of  the  verse,  which 
seems  to  describe  Melchizedek  as 
a  supernatural  person,  is  that  no 
priestly  register  contains  a  record 
of  his  parentage,  birth,  and  death, 
which  the  Jews  thought  indispensa- 
ble, and  yet  he  is  proven  by  Old 
Test,  history  and  prophecy  to  be 
truly  a  priest,  the  honoured  proto- 
type of  the  Messiah. 

(5)  The    Lord.     Heb.    'Adonay. 


This  form  of  the  plural  is  never  used 
except  as  a  Divine  name.  It  is  now 
Jehovah  who  goes  forth  at  the  right 
hand  of  His  anointed  King  to  sup- 
port and  strengthen  it  against  all 
opposing  evil.  See  xvi.  8,  "Jehovah 
is  at  my  right  hand." 

(6)  He  has  smitten  down  heads. 
Heb.   mahhats  rosh.     Lit.  to  smite 
through,  or  crush    heads ;    also  in 
Ixviii.  22;  Hab.  iii.  13,  of  inflicting 
deadly    injuries.      Literally    under- 
stood all   this   seems  very  terrible, 
and  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of 
the  Gospel.    Under  such  figures  the 
triumphs  of  grace  are  often  exhib- 
ited.    The  sword  of  the  Spirit  does 
not  destroy  men,  but  saves  them.     It 
is  their  enmity  that  is  slain.     The 
victory  of  the  Son  of  God  is  over 
their  stubborn  hearts.     Those  who 
have  been  in  arms  against  Him,  yield 
to  His  gracious  rule. 

(7)  He  drinks  of  the  brook  by 
the  way.     "  The  victorious  leader, 
wearied  with  the  battle,  and  the  pur- 
suit of  his  enemies,  stops  for  a  mo- 
ment on  his  way,  to  refresh  himself 
by  drinking  of  the  torrent  rushing 
by,  and    then  'lifts    up   his   head.' 
With  new  vigour  he  continues  his 
pursuit."  —  Perowne. 


CXI. 


A  SONG  OF  PRAISE  TO   GOD. 


THIS  Psalm  and  the  following  are  twins  in  form  and  in  subject.     The 
former  celebrates  the  glory,  might,  and  lovingkindness  of  Jehovah  in 
the  circle  of  the  "upright;  "  the  latter  celebrates  the  glory  and  blessedness 
that  flow  therefrom  to  the  "  upright  "  themselves. 

Both  Psalms  are  alphabetical.  Each  consists  of  twenty-two  lines  with 
the  twenty-two  letters  of  the  Hebrew  alphabet  at  the  beginning.  In  both, 
the  first  eight  verses  have  two  lines  each,  and  the  last  two  have  three  each, 
and  the  accentuation  is  identical.  This  indicates  a  probability,  in  view  of 
the  musical  value  of  the  accents  in  the  poetical  books,  that  they  were  in- 
tended to  be  sung  continuously.  There  are  also  various  coincidences  of 
thought  and  expression. 


PSALM   CXII.  265 

1  PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 

With  all  my  heart  I  give  thanks  to  Jehovah 
In  the  council  and  assembly  of  the  upright. 

2  Very  great  are  the  works  of  Jehovah, 
Sought  out  by  all  that  take  pleasure  therein. 

3  In  His  work  there  is  glory  and  splendour, 
And  His  righteousness  standeth  forever. 

4  A  memorial  He  ordained  for  His  wonders, 

For  Jehovah  is  gracious  and  full  of  compassion. 

5  He  gives  food  unto  those  that  revere  Him, 
Remembering  His  covenant  forever. 

6  He  showed  His  people  the  power  of  His  works, 

That  to  them  He  might  give  what  the  nations  possessed. 

7  The  works  of  His  hands  are  justice  and  truth, 
All  His  precepts  established. 

8  They  stand  fast  forever  and  alway, 
They  are  wrought  in  equity  and  truth. 

9  Redemption  He  sent  for  His  people, 

And  commanded  His  covenant  forever  — 
How  holy  and  fearful  His  Name ! 
IO   The  fear  of  Jehovah  is  the  beginning  of  wisdom; 
A  good  understanding  have  all  that  obey  Him ; 

Forever  His  praise  shall  stand  fast. 

(4)  A  memorial  He  ordained  for  ordinance  is  spoken  of  as  a  memo- 

His  wonders.     Referring  undoubt-  rial,  using  zikkaron,  a  slightly  dif- 

edly  to  the  sacred  feasts,  and  espe-  ferent  form  of  the  word  used  here, 

daily  to  the  Passover,  and  the  feast  (10)  That  obey  Him.    Heb.  that 

of  unleavened  bread  that  accompa-  do  them;  that  is,  His  precepts  men- 

nied  it.     See  Ex.  xiii.  9,  where  this  tioned  in  verses  7  and  8. 


CXII. 

THE  BLESSEDNESS  OF  THE  UPRIGHT. 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 

How  blest  is  the  man  that  feareth  Jehovah, 
That  greatly  enjoys  His  commandments. 
His  seed  becomes  mighty  on  the  earth, 
The  race  of  the  upright  is  blessed. 


266  THE   PSALMS. 

3  In  his  house  are  riches  and  wealth, 
And  his  righteousness  standeth  forever. 

4  Light  in  the  darkness  shall  rise  for  the  upright, 
The  pitiful,  compassionate,  righteous. 

5  It  is  well  with  the  man  that  shows  pity  and  lends, 
His  cause  he  maintains  in  the  judgment; 

6  He  surely  shall  never  be  shaken  ; 

The  righteous  are  held  in  remembrance  forever. 

7  He  fears  no  tidings  of  evil, 

His  heart  is  steadfast,  its  trust  in  Jehovah; 

8  His  heart  is  established,  it  is  not  afraid, 
Till  he  sees  his  desire  on  his  foes. 

9  He  scatters  abroad,  he  gives  to  the  needy, 

His  righteousness  standeth  forever; 
His  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honour. 
IO   The  wicked  man  sees,  and  is  vexed, 

He  gnasheth  his  teeth  and  melteth  away; 
The  desire  of  the  wicked  shall  perish. 

(8)  Sees  his  desire.     See  note  on  liv.  9.       (9)  His  horn.     See  note 
on  Ixxv.  5. 


CXIII. 


THE  LOWLY  EXALTED. 

"  T  N  the  Jewish  Liturgy  the  so-called  Hallel  (Ps.  cxiii.-cxviii.),  also  called 
JL  the  Egyptian  Hallel,  as  distinguished  from  the  Great  Hallel  (Ps. 
cxxxvi.),  begins  with  this  Psalm.  .  .  .  This  first  Psalm  of  the  series  con- 
tinued to  be  sung  while  the  temple  stood,  and  is  still  recited  in  Palestine 
eighteen  times  a  year,  apart  from  its  customary,  though  not  legal  use,  at  the 
new  moon.  Outside  of  Palestine  it  is  now  yearly  recited  twenty-one  times, 
on  account  of  the  addition  of  three  great  feast-days.  At  the  family  celebra- 
tion of  the  Passover,  Psalms  cxiii.  and  cxiv.  were  sung  before  the  emptying 
of  the  second  cup,  and  Psalms*  ex v.-cxviii.  after  the  meal,  and  after  the  fill- 
ing of  the  fourth  cup  (comp.  the  expositors  on  Matt,  xxvii.  30 ;  Mark  xiv. 
26).  This  Psalm  is  the  Old  Test,  magnificat.  "  —  Moll. 

1.  God's  Name  to  be  praised  forever  and  over  the  whole  earth  (1-8).  2.  Though 
infinitely  exalted,  He  looks  graciously  upon  the  lowly  (£-6}.  8.  He  exalts,  blesses, 
and  gladdens  the  feeble,  the  despised,  and  the  mourning  (7-9). 


PSALM   CXIII.  267 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 

Praise,  O  ye  servants  of  Jehovah, 
Praise  ye  the  Name  of  Jehovah; 
Blessed  be  the  Name  of  Jehovah 

Henceforth  and  forever ! 
From  the  rise  of  the  sun  to  its  setting, 
Let  the  Name  of  Jehovah  be  praised. 


4  Jehovah  is  high,  far  above  all  the  nations, 
His  glory  is  higher  than  the  heavens. 

5  Who  can  compare  with  Jehovah,  our  God, 
Whose  throne  is  exalted  on  high, 

6  But  who  looks  far  below 

On  the  heavens  and  the  earth  ?  — 

7  He  that  raises  the  poor  from  the  dust, 
From  the  dunghill  the  needy  lifts  high, 

8  To  sit  with  the  princely, 

The  princely  of  His  people,  — 

9  Makes  the  barren  to  dwell  in  a  home, 
The  glad  mother  of  children  ; 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 


(6)  Who  looks  far  below.    Heb.  and  "the  earth,"  as  parts  of  a  whole. 

who  makes  low  for looking ;  a  parti-  It  is  not,  however,  a  general  inter- 

cipial  clause,  usually  to  be  rendered  est  in  the  material  creation  that  at- 

with  the  relative  pronoun,  and  ex-  tracts  this  absorbing  attention,  but 

Eresses  not  single  acts,  but  the  ha-  He  looks  through  the  material  heav- 

itual   and  characteristic.      So   the  ens  to  the  underlying  earth  on  ac- 

participles  in  verses  7  and  9,  "  Who  count  of  His  sympathy  with  the  suf- 

raises,"  "  Who  makes."      This  first  fering.     The    expression  here    bor- 

participle,  mashpil,  making  low,  is  ders  very  closely  upon  the  bending 

not  reflexive,  but  causative.     It  qual-  over  to  look  on  the  earth  in  Ps.  xiv. 

ifies  the  looking  adverbially,  as  in  our  2,  where  see  the  note.     Especially 

rendering,  a  construction  very  com-  see  in  cii.  19,  20,  a  mention  of  God 

mon  in  Hebrew.    See  Ges.  Heb.  Gr.  as  bending  down  to  behold  the  earth 

§  142,  Rem.  i.      The  verb  to  look,  is  that  He  may  hear  the  groaning  of 

followed  by  the  prep,  beth,  implying  the  prisoner.     It  is  strikingly  similar 

deep  interest    and    satisfaction,   as  to  the  expression  here,  including  the 

delighting  in  opportunity  to  gratify  explanatory  clauses  in  the  three  fol- 

His  gracious  nature.     See  note  on  lowing  verses. 

xcii.  ii.      The  grammatical  object         (8)  To  sit.    Heb.  to  make  him  sit, 

immediately  follows,  "the  heavens"  or  dwell. 


268  THE   PSALMS. 


CXIV. 


THE  EARTH  IN  COMMOTION  BEFORE  GOD. 

"  '"TPHIS  is  perhaps  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  Psalms  that  touch  on  the 
A  early  history  of  Israel.  It  is  certainly  the  most  graphic  and  the 
most  striking  in  the  boldness  of  its  outlines.  The  following  remarks  may 
perhaps  illustrate  the  conception  and  plan  of  the  poem:  i.  In  structure  it 
is  singularly  perfect.  We  have  four  strophes,  each  of  two  verses,  and  each 
of  these  of  two  lines,  in  which  the  parallelism  is  carefully  preserved. 
2.  The  effect  is  produced,  as  in  Ps.  xxix.,  not  by  minute  tracing  of  details, 
but  by  the  boldness  with  which  certain  great  features  of  the  history  are  pre- 
sented. 3.  A  singular  animation  and  dramatic  force  are  given  to  the  poem 
by  the  beautiful  apostrophe  in  verses  5,  6,  and  the  effect  of  this  is  heightened 
to  a  remarkable  degree  by  the  use  of  the  present  tenses.  The  awe  and  the 
trembling  of  nature  are  a  spectacle  on  which  the  poet  is  looking.  The 
parted  sea,  through  which  Israel  walks  as  on  dry  land ;  the  rushing 
Jordan  arrested  in  its  course ;  the  granite  cliffs  of  Sinai,  shaken  to  their 
base,  —  he  sees  it  all,  and  asks  in  wonder  what  it  means.  4.  Then  it  is 
that  the  truth  bursts  upon  his  mind,  and  the  impression  of  this  upon  the 
reader  is  very  finely  managed.  The  Name  of  God,  which  has  been  entirely 
concealed  up  to  this  point  in  the  poem  ...  is  now  only  introduced  after 
the  apostrophe  in  verses  5,  6."  "  The  reason  seems  evident  and  this  con- 
duct necessary,  for  if  God  had  appeared  before,  there  could  be  no  wonder 
why  the  mountains  should  leap  and  the  sea  retire  ;  therefore  that  this  con- 
vulsion of  nature  maybe  brought  in  with  due  surprise,  His  Name  is  not 
mentioned  till  afterwards  ;  and  then,  with  a  very  agreeable  turn  of  thought, 
God  is  introduced  at  once  in  all  His  majesty."  —  Perowne :  Spectator, 
(No.  461). 

1  When  Israel  went  forth  out  of  Egypt, 

The  house  of  Jacob  from  people  of  strange  tongue, 

2  His  sanctuary  was  Judah, 
His  dominion  was  Israel. 

3  The  sea  saw  it  and  fled, 
The  Jordan  turned  back  ; 

4  Like  rams  sprang  the  mountains, 
The  hills  like  the  young  of  the  flock. 

5  What  ails  thee,  O  sea,  that  thou  fleest? 
O  Jordan,  why  turnest  thou  back? 


PSALM   CXV.  269 

6  Why  spring  ye  like  rams,  O  ye  mountains, 
Ye  hills,  like  the  young  of  the  flock? 

7  Be  in  anguish,  Thou  earth, 

At  the  presence  of  the  Lord, 
At  the  presence  of  the  Lord  God  of  Jacob ; 

8  Who  turns  rocks  into  pools, 
Flinty  rock  into  fountains  of  water. 

CXV. 

THE  LIVING  GOD  IN  CONTRAST  WITH  IDOLS. 

1.  God  is  called  upon  to  manifest  His  glory,  and  to  silence  the  unbelieving  scoffs  of 
the  heathen  (1,  2).  2.  The  contrast  between  the  living  God,  enthroned  in  heaven, 
and  dead  images  (8-8).  3.  Those  who  fear  Jehovah  may  depend  on  His  faithful 
care  for  aid,  protection,  and  blessing  (9-1$).  4-  He  who  made  all  things  has  given 
the  earth  to  the  children  of  men,  that  they  may  bless  Him  forever  (15-18). 

1  Not  unto  us,  O  Jehovah, 

To  Thy  Name,  and  not  unto  us,  be  the  glory, 
Because  of  Thy  kindness  and  truth. 

2  Why  should  the  nations  say, 

"Where  is  their  God?" 

3  But  our  God  is  in  heaven ; 

He  has  done  whatsoever  He  pleased. 

4  Their  idols  are  silver  and  gold, 
The  work  of  men's  hands ; 

5  They  have  mouths,  but  they  speak  not, 
They  have  eyes,  but  they  see  not ; 

6  They  have  ears,  but  they  hear  not, 
They  have  noses,  but  smell  not ; 

7  They  have  hands,  but  they  handle  not, 

They  have  feet,  but  they  walk  not, 
And  no  sound  can  come  from  their  throat. 

8  They  that  make,  become  like  them, 
Even  so  all  that  trust  them. 

9  O  Israel,  trust  thou  in  Jehovah, 
He  is  their  help  and  their  shield  ; 


2/0  THE   PSALMS. 

10   House  of  Aaron,  trust  ye  in  Jehovah, 

He  is  their  help  and  their  shield ; 
n    Ye  that  reverence  Jehovah,  trust  ye  in  Jehovah, 

He  is  their  help  and  their  shield  ; 

12  Jehovah  remembers  and  will  bless  — 
He  will  bless  the  house  of  Israel, 

He  will  bless  the  house  of  Aaron ; 

13  Those  that  reverence  Jehovah  will  He  bless, 
Both  the  small  and  the  great. 

14  Jehovah  will  add  to  you  more,  and  still  more, 
To  you  and  your  children. 

15  Ye  are  blessed  by  Jehovah, 

The  Maker  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth. 

1 6  The  heavens  are  Jehovah's, 

But  the  earth  has  He  given  to  the  children  of  men. 

17  The  dead  bring  no  praise  to  Jehovah, 
Nor  any  that  go  down  into  silence ; 

18  But  we,  Jehovah  will  we  bless, 
Henceforth  and  forever ; 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 


CXVI. 

THANKSGIVING  FOR  DELIVERANCE  FROM  DISTRESS  AND  PERIL. 

ONE  who  by  God's  mercy  has  escaped  from  death,  and  whose  heart  has 
been  penetrated  by  the  tenderest  gratitude  and  affection,  here 
acknowledges  his  obligations,  and  with  thankful  vows  publicly  consecrates 
himself  to  the  service  of  God  as  long  as  he  lives.  As  the  Psalm  progresses, 
thoughts  of  his  great  trouble  and  the  signal  mercy  shown  him  accumulate, 
and  develop  greater  intensity  of  feeling,  richness  of  expression,  and  earn- 
estness of  purpose,  as  again  and  again  he  reiterates  his  vow  in  the  presence 
of  Jehovah  and  His  people. 

The  Psalm  evidently  belongs  to  the  period  after  the  exile,  but  has  freely 
borrowed  from  earlier  Psalms,  principally  from  David.  It  exhibits  a  power 
and  depth  of  spiritual  life  not  exceeded  in  any  part  of  Israelitish  history. 
This  has  been  appreciated  in  the  Christian  Church,  and  has  made  the  Psalm 
very  precious  to  those  who  have  had  like  experience  of  suffering  and 
relief. 


PSALM   CXVL  271 

1.  His  distress  and  supplications  (1-4).    #.  Deliverance  (5-9).    3.  Acknowledg- 
ments of  God's  faithful  grace,  and  thankful  resolves  (10-19). 

1  I  love  Jehovah  for  He  heareth 
My  loud  supplications; 

2  Yea,  His  ear  He  bent  toward  me, 

And  on  Him  will  I  call  as  long  as  I  live. 

3  The  cords  of  Death  were  about  me, 

The  tortures  of  Sheol  had  seized  me, 
I  found  anguish  and  sorrow; 

4  Then  I  called  on  the  Name  of  Jehovah, 

"  O  Jehovah,  I  pray  Thee,  deliver  my  soul." 

5  Full  of  pity  is  Jehovah,  and  righteous, 
Our  God  has  compassion. 

6  Jehovah  preserveth  the  simple  ; 

I  was  brought  very  low,  and  He  helped  me. 

7  Return,  O  my  soul,  to  thy  rest, 

For  Jehovah  dealt  graciously  with  thee. 

8  For  my  soul  Thou  deliveredst  from  death, 

Mine  eyes  from  tears,  and  my  footsteps  from  failing. 

9  I  shall  walk  in  the  presence  of  Jehovah, 
In  the  land  of  the  living. 

10  I  have  faith  when  I  speak,  — 
I,  who  was  greatly  afflicted, 

11  I,  who  found  in  my  peril 
That  all  men  were  false ;  — 

12  What  shall  I  render  to  Jehovah, 
For  all  His  benefits  toward  me? 

13  I  will  take  the  cup  of  salvation, 
And  call  on  the  Name  of  Jehovah ; 

14  My  vows  will  I  pay  to  Jehovah, 

If  I  may,  with  Thy  people  all  present. 

15  Of  great  price  in  the  sight  of  Jehovah, 
Is  the  death  of  those  whom  He  loves. 

1 6  Oh,  hear  me,  Jehovah,  for  I  am  Thy  servant, 
Thy  servant,  the  son  of  Thy  handmaid; 

Thou  hast  loosened  my  bonds. 


2/2 


THE   PSALMS. 


17  I  bring  my  thanksgiving,  the  sacrifice  due  Thee, 
And  call  on  the  Name  of  Jehovah. 

1 8  My  vows  will  I  pay  to  Jehovah, 

If  I  may,  with  His  people  all  present; 

19  In  the  courts  of  the  house  of  Jehovah, 
In  the  midst'of  thy  walls,  O  Jerusalem; 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 


(10)  I  have  faith  when  I  speak. 

Heb.  he'emantl  ki  'adabber.  The 
former  of  these  verbs  is  in  the  per- 
fect tense,  which,  however,  does  not 
indicate  past  time,  but  firmly  estab- 
lished and  permanent  confidence,  in 
distinction  from  transient  emotion. 
Lit.  /  believe  when  I  speak.  The 
second  verb  in  the  imperfect  tense, 
expressing  a  passing  present,  with 
reference  to  what  he  is  now  saying 
about  the  goodness  of  Jehovah  in 
his  great  trouble.  No  two  transla- 
tors quite  agree  in  their  rendering  of 
the  tenth  and  eleventh  verses,  and  no 
rendering  yet  given  exhibits  clearly 
their  relation  to  the  context  before 
and  after.  The  failure  seems  to  re- 
sult from  not  observing  that  the  em- 
phatic pronoun  /  (Heb.  *ant\  in  10  b 
and  repeated  in  1 1  «,  is  in  both  cases 
in  apposition  to  the  subject  of  the  pre- 
ceding verbs,  and  that  both  clauses 
are  virtually  relative,  giving  a  reason 
for  his  confidence.  He  learned  to 
trust  God's  faithful  grace,  not  from 
the  testimony  of  others,  but  from  his 
own  personal  experience  of  anguish 


and  sorrow,  as  described  in  verses  3 
and  4.  In  his  danger  and  alarm  he 
had  looked  to  men  for  sympathy  and 
aid,  and  had  to  testify  that  all  their 
promises  were  falsehood.  The  con- 
trast between  man's  treachery  and 
God's  faithfulness  as  thus  personally 
tested  and  attested  is  very  striking, 
and  would  be  much  less  effective  in 
the  absence  of  the  emphatic  pronoun. 

( 1 1 )  In  my  peril.  H  eb.  hhophzt, 
prop,  my  alarm  in  view  of  danger ; 
never  of  haste,  as  in  speaking.  The 
R.  V.  has  alarm  in  the  margin,  and 
the  American  Revisers  prefer  it  for 
the  text.  This  is  an  improvement, 
but  the  poet  is  not  referring  to  imag- 
inary,  but  to  real  danger,  in  which 
he  had  appealed  for  help,  and  it  is 
important  to  express  this. 

(14)  If  I  may,  and  again  in  ver. 
18.  Heb.  na  (*O),  the  particle  of 
entreaty,  usually  translated  /  pray ; 
sometimes  strengthening  an  impera- 
tive, but  it  never  means  now,  as  a 
particle  of  time.  Occasionally,  as 
here,  humbly  asking  permission,  as 
well  as  expressing  desire. 


CXVIL 


THE  NATIONS  INVITED  TO   PRAISE  JEHOVAH. 

'""pHIS  is  the  shortest  of  all  the  Psalms,  —  a  Hallelujah  addressed  to 
1  the  heathen  world.  In  its  very  brevity  it  is  one  of  the  grandest  wit- 
nesses of  the  might  with  which,  in  the  midst  of  the  Old  Testament,  the 
world-wide  mission  of  the  religion  of  revelation  struck  against  or  under- 
mined the  national  limitation.  It  is  stamped  by  the  apostle  in  Rom.  xv. 


PSALM   CXVIII.  273 

n,  as  a  locus  dassicus  for  the  participation  of  the  heathen,  in  accordance 
with  God's  gracious  purpose,  in  the  promised  salvation  of  Israel."  — 
Delitzsch. 

1  Praise  Jehovah,  all  ye  nations, 
Give  Him  glory,  all  ye  peoples ; 

2  For  His  kindness  over  us  is  mighty, 

And  the  truth  of  Jehovah  endureth  forever; 
PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH! 


CXVIII. 


A  FESTAL   DAY  IN  THE  TEMPLE   OF  JEHOVAH. 

VARIOUS  books  connect  this  Psalm  with  the  return  from  exile,  indi- 
cating that  it  was  either  intended  to  be  used  at  the  dedication  of  the 
second  temple,  Ezra  viii.  15  (Delitzsch),  or  in  the  first  complete  celebra- 
tion, according  to  legal  ceremonies,  of  the  feast  of  Tabernacles  (Stier, 
Perowne),  probably  the  latter.  In  the  Jewish  Liturgy  it  is  the  last  Psalm 
of  the  Hallel,  which  begins  with  cxiii. 

Martin  Luther  says  of  it:  This  is  my  Psalm,  which  I  love.  Although 
the  whole  of  the  Psalter,  and  of  Holy  Scripture  itself,  which  is  my  only 
consolation  in  life,  are  also  dear  to  me,  yet  I  have  chosen  this  Psalm  par- 
ticularly to  be  called  and  to  be  mine ;  for  it  has  often  deserved  my  love, 
and  helped  me  out  of  many  deep  distresses,  when  neither  emperor,  nor 
kings,  nor  the  wise  and  prudent,  nor  saints,  could  have  helped  me. 

The  following  account  of  its  contents  is  from  Delitzsch  :  The  Psalm  falls  into 
two  divisions.  The  first  division  (1-19)  is  sung  by  the  festive  procession  which  is  led 
up  by  priests  and  Levites,  and  which  goes  up  to  the  temple  with  sacrificial  animals. 
With  ver.  19,  the  procession  stands  at  the  entrance.  The  second  part  (20-27)  is 
sung  by  the  body  of  Levites  who  receive  the  festive  procession.  Then  ver.  28  is  the 
answer  of  those  who  have  arrived,  and  ver.  29  the  concluding  song  of  all  of  them. 

1  To  Jehovah  give  thanks,  for  He  is  good, 
For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

2  Let  Israel  now  say, 

That  His  kindness  endureth  forever  ; 

3  Let  the  household  of  Aaron  now  say, 
That  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

4  Those  that  reverence  Jehovah,  let  them  say, 
That  His  kindness  endureth  forever ; 

18 


274  THE   PSALMS. 

5  From  sore  straits  I  called  on  Jehovah ; 
And  He  answered  in  setting  me  free. 

6  With  Jehovah  on  my  side,  I  shall  not  be  afraid, 
What  can  man  do  to  harm  me? 

7  With  Jehovah  on  my  side  as  my  helper, 
Even  I,  undismayed,  can  look  on  my  foes. 

8  To  hide  in  Jehovah  is  better 
Than  trusting  in  man ; 

9  To  hide  in  Jehovah  is  better 
Than  trusting  in  princes. 

10  Let  all  nations  surround  me, 

In  the  Name  of  Jehovah  will  I  verily  destroy  them ; 

11  Let  them  surround  me,  yea,  let  them  surround  me, 
In  the  Name  of  Jehovah  will  I  verily  destroy  them  ; 

12  Let  them  surround  me  like  bees, 

Like  a  fire  of  thorns  are  they  quenched ; 
In  the  Name  of  Jehovah  will  I  verily  destroy  them. 

13  Thou  hast  thrust  at  me  sore  for  my  downfall, 
But  Jehovah  gave  me  help. 

14  Jehovah  is  my  strength  and  my  song; 
He  is  become  my  salvation. 

15  The  cry  of  rejoicing  and  safety 

Is  heard  in  the  tents  of  the  righteous ; 
How  mighty  are  the  deeds  of  Jehovah's  right  hand ! 

16  The  right  hand  of  Jehovah  is  exalted, 
The  right  hand  of  Jehovah  does  valiantly. 

17  I  shall  not  die,  but  shall  live, 

And  shall  tell  of  the  works  of  Jehovah; 

1 8  Very  sorely  Jehovah  chastised  me, 
But  gave  me  not  over  to  death. 

19  Let  the  gates  of  righteousness  open  before  me, 
I  will  enter  and  give  thanks  to  Jehovah. 


20   This  is  the  gate  of  Jehovah, 

The  righteous  may  enter  therein. 


PSALM   CXIX.  275 

21  I  thank  Thee  because  Thou  hast  heard  me, 
And  becpme  my  salvation. 

22  The  stone  which  the  builders  rejected, 
Is  now  the  chief  stone  of  the  corner. 

23  From  Jehovah  this  comes ; 
In  our  eyes  it  is  wondrous. 

24  This  is  the  day  that  Jehovah  has  made, 
And  therein  let  us  joy  and  be  glad. 

25  Jehovah,  O  save,  we  beseech  Thee, 

Oh  prosper  us,  Jehovah,  we  beseech  Thee. 

26  Blessed  be  he  that  comes  in  the  Name  of  Jehovah, 
From  the  house  of  Jehovah,  we  bless  you. 

27  Jehovah  is  God,  He  has  given  us  light ; 

The  festival  offering  bind  ye  with  cords, 
Even  up  to  the  horns  of  the  altar. 

28  Thou  art  my  God,  and  I  thank  Thee ; 
As  my  own  God,  I  exalt  Thee ; 

29  Give  thanks  to  Jehovah,  for  He  is  good, 
For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 

(5)  In  setting  me  free.    Heb.  in  a  broad  place.    Narrowness  and  breadth 
often  exhibit  figuratively  great  distress  and  relief;  see  on  xviii.  19,  xxxi.  8. 
(10,  11,  12)  Verily,     ki  ('.?),  emphatic. 


CXIX. 

THE  LAW  OF  JEHOVAH  MORE  PRECIOUS  THAN  GOLD. 

IT  is  agreed  by  most  authorities  that  this  is  one  of  the  latest  Psalms  in 
the  Psalter.  It  contains  176  verses,  almost  everyone  of  which  has 
reference  to  the  word  of  God  in  its  excellence  and  value.  It  is  divided 
into  22  parts,  every  one  of  the  eight  verses  in  each  part  beginning  with  the 
same  letter  and  the  letters  following  in  the  order  of  the  Hebrew  Alphabet. 
We  have  no  knowledge  of  the  author,  or  the  circumstances  under  which  it 
was  composed,  except  such  as  may  be  gathered  from  its  contents.  It  seems 
to  be  the  work  of  a  comparatively  young  man  (vv.  9,  99,  100),  in  great 
trouble,  surrounded  by  wicked  men  and  persecutors.  Delitzsch,  following 
Hitzig,  suggests  it  as  probable  that  it  is  the  work  of  one  in  imprisonment 
'  who  whiled  away  his  time  by  weaving  together  his  complaints  and  his  con- 
solatory thoughts.  It  certainly  indicates  surrounding  hostility  to  the  wor- 
ship and  service  of  the  true  God,  and  suffering  for  righteousness'  sake,  and 


276  THE   PSALMS. 

as  furnishing  the  necessary  conditions,  it  is  thought  to  have  been  written 
either  in  the  time  of  the  Maccabean  princes  (Hitzig)  or  in  the  closing  period 
of  the  Persian  supremacy  (Moll). 

It  is  aphoristic  and  artificial  in  form,  yet  characterized  by  a  lofty  spirit  of 
loyalty  to  God  and  to  truth,  a  fervour  of  religious  affection  and  aspiration, 
a  bold  maintenance  of  conscientious  convictions  before  princes  and  kings, 
and  an  unwavering  confidence  in  God  and  His  word,  such  as  gives  it  great 
value  in  the  domain  of  spiritual  life  and  culture.  With  all  this  its  literary 
character  is  by  no  means  despicable.  There  is  considerable  variety  and 
force  of  expression,  and  a  charm  even  in  its  monotony  and  simplicity. 
Those  will  be  found  to  love  it  most  who  know  it  best. 

CONTENTS.  —  The  following  from  Delitzsch  will  be  found  helpful  at  least  in 
calling  attention  to  some  prominent  idea  in  each  one  of  its  divisions  :  "  After  the 
psalmist  has  sounded  the  praises  of  faithfulness  to  God's  word  (ALEPH)  and  has 
characterized  it  as  the  virtue  of  virtues  which  becomes  a  young  man,  and  which 
he  himself  cultivates  (BETH),  he  prays  in  the  midst  of  scorning  and  persecuting 
companions  for  the  grace  of  enlightenment  (GiMEL),  confirmation  (DALETH), 
preservation  (HE),  appropriate  and  joyous  confession  (VAU)  ;  God's  word  is  his 
continual  study  (ZAYIN),  he  attaches  himself  to  them  that  fear  God  (HHETH),  and 
while  he  acknowledges  that  his  humiliation  is  wholesome  for  him  (TETH),  still  he 
stands  in  need  of  comfort  (Joo),  and  sighs:  how  long!  (KAPH).  If  it  were  not 
for  the  eternal,  stable,  and  potent  word  of  God,  he  should  despair  (LAMED)  ;  in 
his  trying  situation  this  is  his  wisdom  (MEM)  ;  he  has  sworn  fidelity  to  it,  and  has 
shown  faithfulness  even  as  one  persecuted  (NuN)  ;  he  abhors  and  contemns  the 
apostates  (SAMECH).  He  is  oppressed,  but  God  will  not  suffer  him  to  be  over- 
whelmed (  AYIN)  ;  he  will  not  suffer  the  godless  ongoings,  which  wring  streams  of 
water  from  his  eyes,  to  have  dominion  over  him  (Pfi) ;  over  him,  the  small  (still 
youthful)  and  despised  one,  whom  zeal,  because  of  the  prevailing  forgetfulness  of 
God,  consumes  (TSADE).  Oh  that  God  would  hear  his  crying  by  night  (QoPH), 
that  He  would  speedily  quicken  him  with  His  helpful  compassion  (RESH);  for, 
although  he  is  persecuted  by  princes,  he  nevertheless  cleaves  firmly  to  Him 
(SHIN).  Oh  that  He  would  seek  him,  the  little  sheep  that  goes  astray  and  is 
exposed  to  such  great  danger  (TAU)." 

ALEPH. 

1  How  blest  are  the  men  whose  pathway  is  blameless, 
Who  walk  in  the  law  of  Jehovah ; 

2  How  blest  those  that  honour  His  statutes, 
Who  to  seeking  Him  give  their  whole  heart. 

3  Yea,  they  do  no  injustice, 
They  walk  in  His  ways. 

4  Thou  hast  ordered  Thy  precepts 
With  diligence  kept; 

5  Oh  that  my  ways  were  established 
In  keeping  Thy  statutes ; 


PSALM   CXIX.  277   * 

6  I  then  without  shame, 

Should  look  unto  all  Thy  commands ; 

7  With  an  upright  heart  would  I  thank  Thee, 
When  I  learn  Thy  righteous  decisions ; 

8  Yea,  Thy  laws  will  I  keep ; 
Do  not  wholly  forsake  me. 

BETH. 

9  How  may  a  youth  cleanse  his  path  ? 
By  seeing  it  accords  with  Thy  word. 

10  With  all  my  heart  have  I  sought  Thee ; 
From  Thy  laws  let  me  not  go  astray. 

1 1  Thy  word  have  I  hid  in  my  heart, 
That  I  might  not  sin  against  Thee. 

12  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Jehovah; 
Teach  me  Thy  statutes. 

13  With  my  lips  I  rehearse 
All  decrees  of  Thy  mouth. 

14  I  rejoice  in  the  way  of  Thy  statutes, 
As  possessing  all  wealth. 

15  I  will  think  on  Thy  precepts, 
Intently  will  look  to  Thy  paths. 

1 6  I  delight  in  Thy  statutes ; 

Thy  words  shall  not  pass  from  my  mind. 

GIMEL. 

17  Deal  well  with  Thy  servant,  —  let  me  live, 
I  will  then  give  heed  to  Thy  word. 

1 8  Take  the  veil  from  mine  eyes,  —  let  me  see 
What  wonders  there  are  in  Thy  law. 

19  I  am  a  stranger  in  the  earth ; 

Do  not  hide  Thy  commands  from  my  sight. 

20  My  soul  is  crushed  by  its  longing 

At  all  times  for  Thy  righteous  decisions. 

21  Thou  rebukest  the  proudly  defiant, 

The  accursed  that  forsake  Thy  commands. 

22  Roll  away  from  me  insult  and  scorn, 
For  I  observe  Thine  injunctions. 


278  THE  PSALMS. 

23  Yea,  princes  assembled,  conspiring  against  me, 
But  Thy  servant  gives  thought  to  Thy  statutes ; 

24  Yea,  and  more,  I  delight  in  Thy  precepts, 
From  these  have  I  counsel. 

DALETH. 

25  My  soul  cleaves  to  the  dust; 

Give  me  life,  as  Thy  promise  assures. 

26  My  ways  I  rehearsed,  and  Thou  gavest  me  answer ; 
Teach  me  Thy  statutes. 

27  Instruct  me  in  the  way  of  Thy  precepts, 
That  so  I  may  speak  of  Thy  wonders. 

28  My  soul  melts  away  in  its  sorrow; 

Give  me  strength  as  Thy  promise  assures. 

29  The  way  of  falsehood  remove  from  me  far, 
And  graciously  grant  me  Thy  law ; 

30  In  the  way  of  faithfulness  have  I  my  choice, 
I  set  Thy  judgments  before  me. 

31  I  cleave  to  Thy  statutes ; 

0  Jehovah,  let  me  not  come  to  shame. 

32  I  will  speed  me  in  the  way  of  Thy  precepts, 
For  Thou  my  heart  dost  enlarge. 

HE. 

33  Teach  me  Jehovah,  the  way  of  Thy  statutes, 

1  will  keep  it  to  the  end. 

34  Give  me  understanding,  Thy  law  will  I  keep ; 
With  all  my  heart  will  I  observe  it. 

35  Help  me  on  in  the  path  of  Thy  precepts, 
For  therein  I  delight. 

36  Turn  my  heart  to  Thy  statutes, 
And  not  to  despoiling. 

37  Turn  mine  eyes  from  beholding  delusion, 
And  give  me  new  life  in  Thy  way. 

38  Confirm  to  Thy  servant  Thy  promise, 
Which  tends  to  Thy  fear. 

39  Turn  away  the  reviling  I  dread; 
For  Thy  statutes  are  good. 


PSALM   CXIX.  279 

40  Lo,  I  long  for  Thy  precepts ; 

In  Thy  righteousness  give  me  new  life. 

VAU. 

41  Let  Thy  kindnesses  come  to  me,  Jehovah, 
Thy  saving  power,  as  Thy  promise  assured ; 

42  I  will  then  have  an  answer  for  him  that  reviles  me, 
For  I  trust  in  Thy  word. 

43  Take  not  out  of  my  mouth  all  the  words  of  Thy  truth, 
For  I  hope  in  Thy  judgments  ; 

44  So  will  I  continually  heed  Thy  commands, 
Yea,  forever  and  alway ; 

45  And  in  freedom  shall  walk, 
For  Thy  precepts  I  seek. 

46  Before  kings  will  I  speak  of  Thy  statutes, 
And  shall  not  be  ashamed ; 

47  I  delight  me  in  Thy  precepts, 
Which  also  I  love; 

48  And  I  lift  up  my  hands  to  Thy  law,  which  I  love, 
And  will  think  on  Thy  statutes. 

ZAYIN. 

49  Remember  Thy  word  to  Thy  servant, 
For  in  this  Thou  hast  made  me  to  hope. 

50  This  is  my  comfort  in  suffering, 
That  Thy  word  gives  me  life. 

5 1  The  proud  held  me  greatly  in  derision, 
Yet  I  turn  not  aside  from  Thy  law. 

52  I  remember  Thy  judgments  of  old,  O  Jehovah, 
And  take  to  me  comfort. 

53  Indignation  has  seized  me  because  of  the  wicked, 
Who  depart  from  Thy  law. 

54  I  sing  of  Thy  statutes, 

In  the  house  of  my  pilgrimage  sing; 

55  I  remember  Thy  Name  in  the  night,  O  Jehovah, 
And  Thy  law  will  I  heed ; 

56  For  this  is  now  mine, 

That  I  keep  Thy  commands. 


280  THE   PSALMS. 

HHETH, 

57  Jehovah  is  my  portion  ; 

I  resolved  to  give  heed  to  Thy  words. 

58  With  all  my  heart  I  entreat  for  Thy  favour ; 
Have  pity  upon  me  according  to  Thy  promise. 

59  I  thought  on  my  ways, 
Turned  my  feet  to  Thy  statutes, 

60  Made  haste  and  delayed  not 
To  keep  Thy  commandments. 

6 1  The  cords  of  the  wicked  are  about  me, 
But  I  have  not  forgotten  Thy  law ; 

62  At  midnight  I  rise  and  give  thanks, 
Because  of  Thy  righteous  decisions. 

63  My  companions  are  those  that  revere  Thee, 
That  obey  Thy  commands. 

64  The  earth,  O  Jehovah,  is  full  of  Thy  kindness ; 
Teach  me  Thy  statutes. 

TETH. 

65  Right  well  hast  Thou  dealt  with  Thy  servant, 
As  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  hadst  promised. 

66  Teach  me  good  judgment  and  knowledge, 
For  I  believe  Thy  commandments. 

67  Before  I  was  afflicted  I  went  astray, 
But  now  I  give  heed  to  Thy  word. 

68  Thou  art  gracious,  and  graciously  dealest ; 
Teach  me  Thy  statutes. 

69  The  proud  have  forged  falsehood  against  me, 

But  with  all  my  heart  I  give  heed  to  Thy  precepts. 

70  Their  heart  is  gross  and  unfeeling, 
But  I  in  Thy  law  find  delight. 

71  For  me  it  is  good  that  affliction  has  come, 
For  thus  Thou  hast  taught  me  Thy  statutes. 

72  Better  to  me  is  the  law  of  Thy  mouth, 
Than  thousands  of  silver  and  gold. 

JOD. 

73  By  Thy  hand  was  I  made,  and  was  fashioned, 
Give  me  discernment  to  learn  Thy  commands. 


PSALM   CXIX.  281 

74  Those  that  fear  Thee  shall  see  and  be  glad, 
For  I  hope  in  Thy  word. 

75  I  know,  O  Jehovah,  Thy  judgments  are  righteous, 
And  because  Thou  art  faithful,  my  affliction  has  come ; 

76  Let  Thy  kindness,  I  pray,  give  me  comfort. 
As  Thou  saidst  to  Thy  servant. 

77  Let  Thy  mercies  come  in,  that  my  life  may  continue, 
For  Thy  law  is  my  pleasure. 

78  Let  the  proud  be  ashamed,  for  with  lies  they  destroy  me, 
But  I  will  give  thought  to  Thy  precepts. 

79  To  me  let  those  that  revere  Thee  return, 
Those  taught  in  Thy  law. 

80  Let  my  heart  in  Thy  statutes  be  blameless, 
That  I  come  not  to  shame. 

KAPH. 

8 1  For  Thy  saving  power  my  soul  pines  away ; 
In  Thy  word  do  I  hope. 

82  Mine  eyes  pine  away  for  Thy  promise, 

Saying,  "  When  wilt  Thou  come  with  Thy  comfort?  " 

83  I  become  like  a  wineskin  dried  up  in  the  smoke, 
Yet  forget  not  Thy  statutes. 

84  How  few  are  the  days  of  Thy  servant, 
Oh,  when  wilt  Thou  judge  my  pursuers? 

85  The  proud  have  digged  pits  for  my  life,  — 
Those  not  in  accord  with  Thy  law. 

86  Thy  commands  are  all  faithful ; 

When  with  lies  they  pursue  me,  oh,  give  me  Thy  help. 

87  They  had  almost  consumed  me  in  the  land, 
Yet  I  have  not  forsaken  Thy  precepts. 

88  In  Thy  merciful  kindness  give  me  life, 

That  thus  I  may  heed  what  Thy  mouth  has  enjoined. 

LAMED. 

89  Forever,  Jehovah, 

Thy  word  has  its  stand  in  the  heavens  ; 

90  Thy  faithfulness  lasts  unto  all  generations, 
Thou  mad'st  the  earth  firm,  and  it  stood ; 


2&>  THE   PSALMS. 

91  They  stand  to  this  day  as  Thou  hast  ordained; 
For  all  things  must  serve  Thee. 

92  If  Thy  law  had  not  been  my  delight, 

I  then  should  have  perished  in  suffering; 

93  Thy  precepts  I  will  never  forget, 
For  in  them  Thou  gavest  me  new  life. 

94  I  am  Thine,  oh  deliver  me, 
For  I  search  out  Thy  precepts. 

95  When  the  wicked  lie  in  wait  to  destroy  me, 
I  consider  Thy  statutes. 

96  I  have  witnessed  a  limit  to  all  that  is  perfect ; 
Thy  commandment  is  broad  beyond  measure. 

MEM. 

97  Thy  law,  how  I  love  it ! 

I  think  of  it  all  the  day  long. 

98  Thy  commands  make  me  wiser  than  my  foes, 
For  they  are  ever  within  me. 

99  I  have  more  understanding  than  all  my  instructors, 
For  I  think  on  Thy  law. 

100  I  know  more  than  the  aged, 
Because  I  regarded  Thy  precepts. 

101  I  held  back  my  feet  from  all  paths  that  are  evil, 
That  thus  I  may  keep  Thy  commands. 

102  I  turn  not  aside  from  Thy  judgments, 
For  Thou,  even  Thou,  art  my  teacher. 

103  How  sweet  to  my  taste  are  Thy  words, 
Yea,  sweeter  than  honey  to  my  mouth. 

104  Through  Thy  precepts  I  have  understanding, 
And  therefore  I  hate  every  way  of  deceit. 

NUN. 

105  Thy  word  is  a  lamp  to  my  feet, 
And  a  light  to  my  path. 

1 06  I  have  sworn  and  fulfilled  it, 

To  heed  Thy  righteous  injunctions. 

107  I  am  greatly  oppressed; 

Give  me  life,  O  Jehovah,  as  Thy  promise  assured. 


PSALM   CXIX.  283 

108  Accept  Thou,  Jehovah,  my  mouth's  willing  offerings, 
And  teach  me  Thy  judgments. 

109  I  ever  hold  my  life  in  my  hand, 
Yet  forget  not  Thy  law. 

no   The  wicked  laid  snares  for  my  feet, 
Yet  I  go  not  astray  from  Thy  statutes. 

1 1 1  Thy  precepts  I  take  in  possession  forever, 
For  these*  are  the  joy  of  my  heart. 

1 1 2  My  heart  I  incline  to  perform  Thy  behests, 
Forever,  yea,  even  to  the  end. 

SAMECH. 

113  The  double-minded  I  hate, 
But  Thy  law  do  I  love. 

114  Thou  art  my  refuge  and  shield, 
And  I  hope  in  Thy  word. 

115  Depart  from  me,  all  evil  doers, 

Let  me  keep  the  commands  of  my  God. 

1 1 6  Uphold  me,  according  to  Thy  word,  that  thus  I  may  live, 
And  let  me  not  blush  for  my  hope. 

117  Hold  me  up,  I  then  shall  be  safe, 

And  will  always  observe  Thy  commands. 

118  Thou  wilt  spurn  all  that  stray  from  Thy  statutes, 
For  by  lies  they  are  deluded. 

119  All  the  wicked  of  the  earth  Thou  rejectest  like  dross, 
And  therefore  I  love  Thine  injunctions. 

1 20  My  flesh  quivers,  for  I  fear  Thee ; 

I  tremble  because  of  Thy  judgments. 

AYIN. 

121  My  deeds  have  been  righteous  and  just, 
Thou  wilt  not  give  me  up  to  mine  oppressors. 

122  Be  surety  to  Thy  servant  for  good; 
Let  the  proud  not  oppress  me. 

123  For  Thy  saving  power  mine  eyes  pine  away, 
For  Thy  promise  in  righteousness  given  ; 

124  Deal  with  Thy  servant  in  Thy  merciful  kindness, 
And  teach  me  Thy  statutes. 


284  THE   PSALMS. 

125  I  am  Thy  servant,  oh,  give  me  discernment, 
That  I  may  know  Thine  injunctions. 

126  It  is  time  for  Jehovah  to  work, 
For  Thy  law  they  make  void. 

127  Therefore  I  love  Thy  commandments 
More  than  gold,  more  than  gold  well  refined. 

128  I  therefore  esteem  all  Thy  precepts  as  right, 
And  every  false  way  do  I  hate. 

PE. 

129  Thy  precepts  are  marvellous, 
My  soul  therefore  keeps  them. 

130  The  unfolding  of  Thy  words  giveth  light, 
To  the  simple  it  giveth  discernment. 

131  I  open  wide  my  mouth  and  I  pant, 
For  I  long  for  Thy  precepts. 

132  Oh,  turn  to  me  in  pity, 

As  is  right  to  those  loving  Thy  Name. 

133  Establish  my  steps  in  Thy  word, 
And  let  no  iniquity  rule  me. 

134  Set  me  free  from  the  oppression  of  man, 
And  so  will  I  observe  Thy  behests. 

135  Make  Thy  face  to  shine  on  Thy  servant, 
And  teach  me  Thy  statutes. 

136  Streams  of  water  run  down  from  mine  eyes, 
Because  they  observe  not  Thy  law. 

TSADI. 

137  Thou  art  righteous,  Jehovah, 
And  upright  are  all  Thy  decisions. 

138  Thine  injunctions  Thou  commandest  in  justice, 
And  in  faithfulness  boundless. 

139  My  zeal  has  consumed  me, 

For  my  foes  have  forgotten  Thy  word. 

140  Very  pure  is  Thy  word, 

And  Thy  servant  therefore  loves  it. 

141  I  am  young  and  despised, 
But  forget  not  Thy  precepts. 


PSALM   CXIX.  285 

142  Thy  justice  forever  is  right, 
And  Thy  law  is  the  truth. 

143  Sore  trouble  and  anguish  have  found  me, 
But  Thy  law  gives  me  joy. 

144  Thine  injunctions  forever  are  right; 

Oh,  give  me  discernment,  that  thus  I  may  live. 

QOPH. 

145  With  all  my  heart  do  I  call  Thee, — Jehovah  give  answer ; 
Thy  commands  will  I  keep. 

146  When  I  cry  to.  Thee,  save  me; 
I  will  heed  Thy  behests. 

147  I  am  up  before  dawn,  and  cry  for  Thy  help, 
For  I  hope  in  Thy  word. 

148  Mine  eyes  forestall  every  watch  in  the  night, 
In  deep  thought  on  Thy  word. 

149  Hear  my  voice  in  Thy  merciful  kindness, 

And  give  me  new  life,  O  Jehovah,  as  Thou  hast  ordained. 

150  Those  intent  on  base  plots  are  approaching, 
Who  are  far  from  Thy  law ; 

151  But  THOU,  O  Jehovah,  art  near, 

And  all  Thy  commandments  are  truth. 

152  Of  old  have  I  known  of  Thy  statutes, 
That  Thou  laid'st  their  foundation  forever. 

RESH. 

153  Oh,  look  on  my  sufferings  and  save  me, 
For  I  have  not  forgotten  Thy  law. 

154  Contend  for  my  right  and  redeem  me; 
Give  me  life  as  Thy  promise  assures. 

155  Salvation  is  far  from  the  wicked, 
For  they  seek  not  Thy  statutes. 

156  Thy  compassions  are  many,  Jehovah, 
Give  me  new  life,  as  Thou  hast  ordained. 

157  There  are  many  that  pursue  and  oppress  me, 
Yet  I  turn  not  aside  from  Thy  laws. 

158  I  beheld  the  treacherous  with  loathing, 
Because  they  observed  not  Thy  word. 


286  THE   PSALMS. 

159  Behold  how  I  love  Thy  commandments, 

0  Jehovah,  in  Thy  kindness  give  me  life. 

1 60  The  sum  of  Thy  word  is  the  truth; 

And  each  of  Thy  righteous  decisions  everlasting. 

SHIN. 

161  Without  cause  have  princes  pursued  me, 
But  my  heart  stands  in  awe  of  Thy  word. 

162  Thy  word  makes  me  glad, 
As  one  finding  great  spoil. 

163  Speaking  lies  I  hate  and  abhor, 
But  Thy  law  do  I  love. 

164  Seven  times  in  the  day  do  I  praise  Thee, 
Because  of  Thy  righteous  commands. 

165  Those  loving  Thy  law  have  great  peace, 
And  nothing  shall  cause  them  to  stumble. 

1 66  I  have  hope,  O  Jehovah,  in  Thy  power  to  save, 
And  I  obey  Thy  commandments. 

167  My  soul  gives  heed  to  Thy  statutes, 

1  exceedingly  love  them. 

1 68  I  observe  Thy  precepts  and  statutes, 
For  all  of  my  ways  are  before  Thee. 

TAU. 

169  Let  my  cry,  O  Jehovah,  come  before  Thee; 
Give  me  understanding  according  to  Thy  word. 

170  Let  my  suppliant  cry  come  before  Thee; 
Remembering  Thy  promise,  deliver  me. 

171  Songs  of  praise  gush  forth  from  my  lips, 
That  Thou  wilt  teach  me  Thy  statutes. 

172  Let  my  tongue  sing  aloud  of  Thy  word, 
For  all  Thy  commandments  are  righteous. 

173  Let  Thy  hand  be  ready  to  help  me, 
For  I  have  chosen  Thy  precepts. 

174  I  long  for  Thy  salvation,  Jehovah, 
And  delight  in  Thy  law. 

175  Give  life  to  my  soul,  that  it  praise  Thee, 
And  let  Thy  behests  give  me  help. 


PSALM   CXX. 


287 


176   I  go  astray  as  a  lost  sheep,  but  seek  Thou  Thy  servant, 
For  I  do  not  forget  Thy  commandments. 


(2)  Who  to  seeking  Him  give 
their  whole  heart.  The  Hebrew 
leb  is  broader  than  our  English  word 
heart  in  its  ordinary  use.  The  for- 
mer includes  all  the  faculties  of  mind 
and  will,  as  well  as  the  emotional  na- 
ture. Especially  the  phrase  "with 
all  my  heart "  only  means  sincerely 
and  ardently,  and  not  in  the  use  of 
all  my  powers,  which  is  the  thought 
here.  So  in  verses  10,  34,  58,  69, 
145. 

(21)  The  proudly  defiant.  The 
adjective  proud  is  too  feeble  as  an 
expression  of  the  Hebrew  zed.  The 
primary  conception  is  that  of  boiling 
over  with  insolent  wickedness,  and 
so  of  sins  called  presumptuous  in 
the  English  translations  of  xix.  13, 
exhibiting  rampant  rebellion  against 
the  Divine  law.  So  inverses  51, 69, 
78,  85,  122.  Attention  should  have 
been  called  to  this  in  xii.  3,  xxxi. 
23,  xl.  4,  Ixxxvi.  14,  xciv.  2,  and  ci. 
5.  It  explains  the  extreme  severity 
with  which  these  proud  ones  are  de- 
nounced. There  is  a  pride  exhibited 
by  men  which  is  offensive  and  evil, 
but  not  seriously  harmful,  and  not  at 
all  described  by  this  strong  word.  — 
The  accursed.  We  follow  the  Sep- 
tuagint  and  Syriac  Versions  in  their 


different  punctuation,  transferring 
this  word  into  the  second  line  of  the 
couplet.  For  important  reasons  it 
is  much  better. 

(25)  As  Thy  promise  assures. 
Heb.  according  to  Thy  word.  In 
this  form  of  expression,  which  occurs 
several  times  in  this  Psalm,  as  in 
fact  often  elsewhere,  God's  word  is 
spoken  of  with  reference  to  some 
special  Divine  utterance,  a  promise 
of  help  and  blessing ;  so  verses  28, 
38,  41,  107,  1 1 6,  123,  etc. 

(83)  A  wineskin  dried  up  in  the 
smoke.  A  leathern  bottle  no  longer 
used,  and  hung  up,  until  blackened 
and  shrivelled,  and  utterly  worthless. 
Oriental  dwellings  of  the  ruder  sort 
were  without  sufficient  outlet  for  the 
smoke. 

(96)  A  limit  to  all  perfection. 
The  Hebrew  substantive  gets  is  not 
always  an  end  in  time,  but  is  some- 
times used  of  local  boundary.  The 
verse  exhibits  a  contrast  between  the 
measurable  perfection  of  things  that 
belong  to  man's  earthly  existence 
and  needs,  and  the  immeasurable 
perfection,  the  surpassing  breadth, 
of  the  law  of  God  as  the  expression 
of  His  excellency,  —  between  finite 
and  infinite  perfection. 


CXX. 


A  CRY  OF  DISTRESS  AGAINST  THE  CRAFTY  AND  CONTENTIOUS. 


THIS  is  the  first  of  fifteen  Psalms,  called  in  the  Rev.  Old  Test.  Songs 
of  Ascents,  a  literal  translation  from  the  Hebrew.     The  most  proba- 
ble account  of  the  name  is  that  it  refers  to  the  journey  of  pilgrims  from  all 
parts  of  Palestine,  going  up  to  Jerusalem  as  required  by  the  law,  to  celebrate 
the  three  sacred  feasts. 


288  THE   PSALMS. 


A   SONG   OF   THE   PILGRIMAGES. 

1  To  Jehovah  in  my  anguish, 
I  called,  and  He  answered ; 

2  "  O  Jehovah,  deliver  my  soul  from  the  lying  lips, 
From  the  treacherous  tongue." 

3  What  shall  He  give  thee, 

Yea,  what  more  shall  He  give  thee, 
Thou  treacherous  tongue? 

4  The  sharp  darts  of  the  warrior, 
With  hot  coals  of  the  broom. 

5  Woe  unto  me,  that  I  sojourn  in  Meshech, 
That  I  dwell  by  the  encampments  of  Kedar  ; 

6  Too  long  has  my  soul  had  her  dwelling 
Beside  him  that  hates  peace ; 

7  As  for  me,  I  seek  peace, 

But  they,  when  I  speak,  are  for  war. 


(4)  Sharp  darts  .  .  .  hot  coals,  juniper}, ,  furnish  the  best  wood-coals 
This  seems  to  be  an  answer  to  the  in  the  opinion  of  the  Arabs.  (Rob- 
question  in  ver.  3,  mentioning  a  pun-  inson  Bib.  Researches,  I.  p.  336.) 
ishment  suited  to  the  sin.  It  is  true  They  retain  the  glow  longest,  and 
that  the  evil  tongue  is  itself  compared  therefore,  along  with  sharp  arrows, 
in  the  Old  Test,  to  a  sharp  sword  are  a  suitable  figure  for  this  connec- 
(Ivii.  5)  and  to  a  deadly  arrow  (Jer.  tion. 

ix.  8),  and  in  the  New  Test,  to  a  fire  (5)  The  poet  compares  his  ene- 
(Jas.  iii.  6) ;  so  that  we  might  find  mies  to  the  savage  hordes  of  the 
here  a  further  designation  of  the  Caucasus  or  of  the  Arabian  desert, 
slanderer,  and  the  question  would  be  The  regions  mentioned  are  so  far 
unanswered.  But  the  former  view  apart  that  it  would  be  impossible 
is  more  probable.  See  Ixiv.  4  and  to  dwell  in  both  at  the  same  time, 
cxl.  10,  where  " burning  coals"  are  This  indicates  that  the  historic 
part  of  the  punishment  upon  lying  conditions  that  furnished  the  back- 
lips.  —  The  broom.  The  roots  of  ground  of  the  Psalm  have  been 
the  rtthem,  the  broom-tree  (not  the  idealized. 


PSALM   CXXI.  289 


CXXI. 


JEHOVAH  THY  KEEPER. 

THIS  song  is  a  charming  expression  of  confidence  in  the  unfailing  pro- 
tection of  God.  The  change  from  the  first  person  to  the  third,  in 
passing  from  ver.  2  to  ver.  3,  as  if  some  one  else  were  addressing  the  orig- 
inal speaker,  reminds  us  of  the  alternation  of  voices  in  Ps.  xci.  But  here, 
after  the  change,  the  third  person  is  maintained  throughout.  Delitzsch 
regards  the  poet  as  here  speaking  to  himself,  promising  himself  comfort, 
by  unfolding  the  joyful  prospects  involved  in  the  hope  in  Jehovah  with 
which  the  song  begins.  But  as  intended  for  use  by  the  company  of  pil- 
grims, the  first  two  verses  may  have  been  sung  by  one  band  of  singers,  and 
the  remainder  by  another  in  response.  It  would  be  appropriate  for  morn- 
ing or  evening  worship  when  they  were  approaching  the  mountains  of 
Jerusalem.  See  cxxv.  2. 

A   SONG  FOR   THE   PILGRIMAGES. 

1  I  lift  up  mine  eyes  to  the  mountains; 
From  whence  comes  my  help? 

2  From  Jehovah  is  my  help, 

The  Maker  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth. 

3  He  will  not  suffer  thy  feet  to  give  way; 
He  that  keeps  thee  will  not  slumber; 

4  Lo,  He  that  keeps  Israel 

Neither  slumbers  nor  sleeps. 

5  Jehovah  is  thy  Keeper; 
Jehovah  is  thy  shade  on  thy  right ; 

6  The  sun  shall  not  smite  thee  by  day, 

Nor  by  night  shall  the  moon. 

7  From  all  evil  Jehovah  will  keep  thee, 
Thy  soul  will  He  keep ; 

8  Jehovah  will  keep  thy  going  and  coming, 

Henceforth  and  forever. 


290  THE   PSALMS. 

CXXII. 

BLESSINGS  UPON  JERUSALEM. 

THERE  is  good  reason  for  questioning  the  correctness  of  the  title  of 
this  Psalm  in  ascribing  it  to  David.  It  seems  to  be  a  reminiscence 
of  a  visit  to  the  Holy  City,  probably  at  the  time  of  one  of  the  great  feasts, 
after  it  had  been  restored,  and  the  tribes  of  Israel  again  flocked  to  it  for 
worship.  There  is  every  indication  that  it  was  intended  to  be  sung  by  a 
band  of  pilgrims  on  their  arrival  at  Jerusalem  and  entrance  within  its 
gates. 

A   SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES.      BY   DAVID. 

1  I  rejoiced  when  they  said, 

"  Let  us  go  to  the  house  of  Jehovah." 

2  Our  feet  came  to  stand 

In  thy  gates,  O  Jerusalem,  — 

3  Jerusalem,  thou  that  art  builded 
As  a  city  that  is  compact  together  ; 

4  Whither  the  tribes  journeyed  up, 

The  tribes  of  Jehovah,  who  gave  precept  to  Israel, 
To  give  thanks  to  the  Name  of  Jehovah ; 

5  For  there,  thrones  of  judgment  were  set, 
The  thrones  of  the  lineage  of  David. 

6  Pray  for  the  peace  of  Jerusalem ; 
They  that  love  thee  shall  prosper. 

7  In  thy  strongholds,  Jerusalem,  be  peace ; 
In  thy  castles,  prosperity. 

8  For  the  sake  of  my  brethren  and  companions, 
Let  me  speak  of  thy  peace. 

9  For  the  sake  of  the  house  of  Jehovah,  our  God. 
Will  I  seek  for  thy  good. 


PSALM   CXXIII.  291 


CXXIII. 

SCORNED  BY  MEN,  BUT  STILL  HOPING  IN  GOD. 

A   SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES. 

1  Unto  Thee  will  I  lift  up  mine  eyes, 

O  Thou,  that  art  throned  in  the  heavens ; 

2  Behold,  as  the  eyes  of  a  servant, 

On  the  hand  of  his  master, 
As  the  eyes  of  a  maid 

On  the  hand  of  her  mistress, 
Even  so,  on  Jehovah  our  God,  are  our  eyes, 
Until  He  shall  pity  us. 

3  Pity  us,  Jehovah,  oh  pity  us, 

For  we  are  filled  to  the  full  with  contempt ; 

4  Yea,  filled  to  the  full  is  our  soul, 
With  the  scorn  of  the  careless, 

The  contempt  of  the  proud. 


CXXIV. 


JEHOVAH  ON  OUR  SIDE   AND  WE  ARE  SAFE. 

THERE  is  great  beauty  here,  as  in  several  of  these  Pilgrim  Songs,  in 
the  poet's  way  of  weaving  together  the  several  lines  or  couplets,  and 
at  the  same  time  giving  emphasis,  by  catching  up  one  or  more  words,  for 
repetition  in  new  relations. 

A  SONG  FOR   THE  PILGRIMAGES.      BY  DAVID. 

1  "  If  Jehovah  had  not  been  on  our  side," 

Let  Israel  now  say, 

2  "  If  Jehovah  had  not  been  on  our  side 
When  men  rose  to  destroy  us, 


292  THE   PSALMS. 

3  Then  alive  had  they  swallowed  us  up, 
When  their  anger  was  kindled  against  us ; 

4  Then  had  the  waters  overwhelmed  us, 
The  torrent  had  gone  over  our  soul ; 

5  Then  had  gone  over  our  soul, 

The  proud  swelling  waters. 

6  Blessed  be  Jehovah, 

Who  gave  us  not  up  as  a  prey  to  their  teeth ; 

7  Our  soul  like  a  bird  has  escaped 

From  the  snare  of  the  fowler ; 
The  snare  is  broken  and  we  have  escaped ; 

8  We  have  help  in  the  Name  of  Jehovah, 
The  Maker  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth." 


cxxv. 

JEHOVAH   ROUND  ABOUT  HIS  PEOPLE  FOREVER. 

A   SONG  FOR   THE   PILGRIMAGES. 

Like  Mount  Zion  are  they  that  trust  in  Jehovah ; 
It  cannot  be  shaken,  but  forever  abides, 
Jerusalem,  —  mountains  surround  her, 
And  Jehovah  surroundeth  His  people, 

Henceforth  and  forever. 
For  not  on  the  lot  of  the  righteous 

Shall  the  sceptre  of  wickedness  rest, 
Lest  the  righteous  stretch  forth 

Their  hands  unto  evil. 

Do  good,  O  Jehovah,  to  the  good, 
To  the  upright  in  heart ; 

But  those  that  turn  off  in  their  tortuous  ways, 
Jehovah  thrusts  forth 

With  the  workers  of  wrong ; 
Upon  Israel  be  peace  ! 


PSALM   CXXVI.  293 


CXXVI. 

THE  HARVEST  OF  JOY  AFTER  SOWING  IN  TEARS, 

A   SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES. 

:    When  Jehovah  returned  to  the  captives  of  Zion, 

We  were  like  them  that  dream ; 
!    Our  mouth  was  then  filled  with  loud  laughter, 

Our  tongue  with  glad  shouts ; 
Then  they  said  in  the  nations 

"  For  these  the  deeds  of  Jehovah  are  glorious," 
i    Yea,  for  us  the  deeds  of  Jehovah  were  glorious; 
We  became  very  glad. 

.   Return,  O  Jehovah,  to  our  captives, 
As  the  streams  in  the  South ; 
Those  sowing  in  tears, 
Shall  reap  with  glad  shouts  ; 
>   One  goes  forth  and  may  weep  all  the  way, 

Bearing  seed  for  the  sowing; 
But  he  comes  all  the  way  with  glad  shouts, 
For  he  beareth  his  sheaves. 


CXXVII. 


ALL  IN  VAIN  WITHOUT  JEHOVAH. 

THE  sentiment  of  the  Psalm  seems  to  connect  it  with  the  rebuilding  of 
the  temple.  Professor  Cheyne  exhibits  its  scope  most  satisfactorily  : 
"  The  leaders  of  the  renascent  Jewish  community  are  like  '  builders '  and 
4  watchmen.'  They  are  tempted  (like  those  that  take  part  in  more  modern 
revivals  of  spiritual  life)  to  overestimate  the  importance  of  routine  work. 
Our  poet  recalls  them  to  a  'wise  passiveness ; '  this  doubtless  is  what  he 
means  by  *  sleep.'  To  those  who  cherish  this  jewel  of  the  soul,  God  grants 
those  things  for  which  the  worldly  wise  often  toil  in  vain.  For  instance, 
those  for  whom  the  prophet  speaks  in  Isa.  xxvi.  18,  were  uneasy  at  the 


294  THE   PSALMS. 

scanty  population  of  Judea.  Our  poet,  in  the  second  half  of  the  psalm, 
reminds  them  that  a  numerous  progeny  of  sons  is  a  blessing  from  Jehovah 
(comp.  Ps.  cxxviii.).  Labour  as  they  may,  they  cannot  do  as  much  for  the 
defence  of  the  state  as  the  'joyful  mother  of  her  sons  '  (cxiii.  9)." 

A  SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES.      BY   SOLOMON. 

1  Let  Jehovah  build  the  house, 

Or  in  vain  toil  its  builders ; 
Let  Jehovah  keep  watch, 

Or  in  vain  wake  the  watchmen ; 

2  And  for  you  it  is  vain  that  so  early  ye  rise, 

Going  late  to  your  rest, 
And  in  toil  eat  your  bread ; 
For  as  well  while  they  sleep, 

He  gives  unto  those  that  He  loves. 

3  Behold,  sons  are  a  gift  from  Jehovah, 

The  fruit  of  the  womb  a  reward ; 

4  Like  darts  in  the  hand  of  a  warrior, 

Are  the  sons  of  one's  youth ; 

5  Happy  the  man  that  hath  filled  his  quiver  therewith  ; 
They  shall  not  come  to  shame, 

When  they  speak  with  their  foes  in  the  gate. 


CXXVIII. 

THE   HAPPY  HOUSEHOLD. 
A   SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES. 

1  How  happy  is  he  that  feareth  Jehovah, 

That  walks  in  His  ways  ! 

2  For  the  labour  of  thy  hands  thou  shalt  eat, 
Happy  art  thou  and  good  shall  be  thine. 

3  Thy  wife  like  a  vine  with  its  fruit, 

In  the  innermost  rooms  of  thy  house; 
Thy  children  like  sprouts  from  the  olive, 
Surrounding  thy  table ; 


PSALM   CXXIX.  295 

4  Lo,  the  man  is  thus  blessed, 
That  feareth  Jehovah. 

5  Jehovah  send  thee  blessing  from  Zion ; 
Behold  thou  Jerusalem's  welfare, 

All  the  days  of  thy  life  ; 

6  Yea,  behold  thou  the  children  of  thy  children : 

Peace  be  upon  Israel ! 


CXXIX. 

ISRAEL  HARASSED,  BUT  DELIVERED. 

A   SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES. 

1  "  From  my  youth  have  they  greatly  oppressed  me," 

Let  Israel  now  say, 

2  "  From  my  youth  have  they  greatly  oppressed, 
Yet  prevailed  not  against  me. 

3  The  ploughmen  have  ploughed  on  my  back, 
And  made  their  long  furrows ; 

4  But  Jehovah  is  righteous, 

He  sundered  the  cords  of  the  wicked. 

5  Let  them  all  come  to  shame  and  confusion, 
That  hold  Zion  in  hatred. 

6  Let  them  be  like  the  grass  on  the  housetop, 
That  withers  when  not  yet  full  grown ; 

7  With  which  none  that  reaps  fills  his  hand, 
His  bosom  no  bearer  of  sheaves  ; 

8  And  they  that  pass  by  shall  not  say, 

'  Jehovah's  blessing  be  upon  you ; 
In  the  Name  of  Jehovah  we  bless  you/  " 


296  THE   PSALMS. 


cxxx. 

DE  PROFUNDIS  ;  THE  PATIENCE  OF  HOPE. 

A   SONG  FOR  THE   PILGRIMAGES. 

1  Out  of  the  depths  do  I  cry  to  Thee,  Jehovah  ; 

2  Lord,  hear  Thou  my  voice ; 

Let  Thine  ear  be  attent  to  my  loud  supplication. 

3  If  Thou,  O  Jehovah,  keep  before  Thee  our  guilt, 
Lord,  who  would  be  able  to  stand? 

4  But  with  Thee  is  forgiveness, 
That  so  men  may  fear  Thee. 

5  I  look  for  Jehovah,  for  Him  my  soul  looks; 
In  His  word  do  I  hope; 

6  My  soul  looks  for  the  Lord, 

More  than  watchmen  look  for  the  morning, 
More  than  watchmen  for  the  morning. 

7  Be  thy  hope  in  Jehovah,  O  Israel; 
For  Jehovah  has  mercy, 

And  with  Him  is  abundant  redemption; 

8  He  is  Israel's  Redeemer 
From  all  his  iniquitous  deeds. 


CXXXI. 

CHILDLIKE  SUBMISSION  AND  TRUST. 

A  SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES. 

I    O  Jehovah,  my  heart  is  not  haughty, 

Mine  eyes  are  not  lofty ; 
I  do  not  concern  me  with  matters  too  great, 
And  too  wonderful  for  me. 


PSALM   CXXXII.  297 

2  Surely  I  calm  and  quiet  my  soul, 

As  a  child  that  is  weaned  by  the  side  of  its  mother  — 
My  soul  within  me,  as  a  child  that  is  weaned. 

3  Be  thy  hope  in  Jehovah,  O  Israel, 
Henceforth  and  forever. 


CXXXII. 


THE  HOUSE  OF  GOD  AND  THE  THRONE  OF  DAVID. 

THE  allusions  in  this  Psalm  to  David  and  to  the  promises  God  made  him 
are  all  retrospective,  and  in  view  of  ver.  10,  it  could  only  have  been 
written  by  some  other  than  himself.  But  it  must  belong  to  a  time  in  which 
the  throne  of  David  was  still  standing  and  before  the  ark  was  irrecoverably 
lost.  Delitzsch  favours  the  view  of  De  Wette,  Tholuck,  and  others,  that  it 
was  composed  by  Solomon  when  the  ark  of  the  covenant  was  removed  into 
the  newly  built  temple,  referring  in  support  of  this  to  the  circumstances  as 
related  in  2  Chron.  v.  5,  and  to  some  points  of  similarity  in  Ps.  Ixxii. 

1.  David's  vow  (1-5}.  2.  The  ark  found,  and  God's  entrance  into  His  temple, 
and  blessing  upon  His  people  (6-10).  3.  God's  oath  to  David,  conditioned  on  the 
obedience  of  his  descendants  (11,  12).  4"  His  promise  to  dwell  in  Zion,  blessing  His 
people,  and  establishing  the  throne  of  David  forever  (13-18). 

A   SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES. 

1  O  Jehovah,  remember  for  David 

All  that  he  endured ; 

2  How  he  sware  to  Jehovah, 

To  Israel's  God  made  a  vow ; 

3  "  Not  again  will  I  enter  the  tent  that  I  dwell  in, 
Nor  go  up  to  the  couch  that  I  lie  on ; 

4  I  will  not  give  sleep  to  mine  eyes, 
Nor  slumber  to  mine  eyelids, 

5  Till  I  find  out  a  place  for  Jehovah, 

A  house  for  the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob." 

6  Lo,  it  was,  so  we  heard,  in  Ephratah, 
In  the  fields  of  the  forest  we  found  it. 

7  Let  us  enter  His  dwelling, 
Let  us  bow  at  His  footstool. 


298  THE   PSALMS. 

8  Arise,  O  Jehovah,  to  the  place  of  Thy  rest, 
Thou,  and  the  ark  of  Thy  strength. 

9  Let  Thy  priests  be  in  righteousness  robed, 
And  the  men  of  Thy  love  shout  for  joy. 

10  For  the  sake  of  Thy  servant,  of  David, 
Turn  not  away  Thine  anointed  one's  face. 

11  Jehovah  has  sworn  unto  David  in  truth, 

And  He  will  not  turn  from  it ; 
"  Of  the  fruit  of  thy  body 
Will  I  set  on  thy  throne. 

12  If  thy  children  will  honour  My  covenant, 

And  My  laws  that  I  teach  them, 
Their  children  forever 

Shall  after  thee  sit  on  the  throne." 

13  For  Jehovah  made  Zion  His  choice; 
He  wished  it  His  dwelling. 

14  He  said,  "  This  is  forever  the  place  of  My  rest ; 
Here  will  I  dwell  for  I  wished  it. 

15  I  will  abundantly  bless  her  provision, 
And  her  poor  fully  furnish  with  bread; 

1 6  Her  priests  will  I  clothe  with  salvation, 
And  her  loved  ones  shall  joyfully  shout ; 

17  There  a  horn  unto  David  I  cause  to  shoot  forth, 
And  prepare  Mine  anointed  a  lamp  ; 

18  I  will  put  on  his  enemies  clothing  of  shame, 
But  on  him  shall  his  diadem  flourish." 


CXXXIII. 

GRACIOUS   FELLOWSHIP. 

"  TN  this  Psalm  David  brings  to  the  consciousness  of  the  Church  the 
J-     glory  of  the  long-lacked  fellowship  of  the  saints,  the  restoration  of 
which  had  begun  with  the  setting  up  of  the  ark  in  Zion."  —  Hengstenberg. 


PSALM   CXXXIV.  299 


A   SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES. 

Behold  how  goodly  and  pleasant  it  is, 
That  brethren  in  unity  dwell. 
Like  the  goodly  oil  on  the  head, 

Flowing  down  on  the  beard, 
On  the  beard  of  Aaron, 

Flowing  down  on  the  skirt  of  his  robes ; 
Like  the  dew  of  Mount  Hermon, 

That  descends  on  the  mountains  of  Zion ; 
For  there  has  Jehovah  commanded  His  blessing, 

Even  life  evermore. 


CXXXIV. 


A  HOLY  GREETING  AND  ITS  ECHO. 

E  greeting  in  verses  I  and  2  is  probably  by  the  congregation  of 
JL  Israel  to  the  priests  and  Levites  who  had  charge  of  the  temple  at 
night  (i  Chron.  ix.  33).  The  response  in  ver.  3  is  a  form  of  priestly  bene- 
diction, which  has  its  counterpart  in  cxxviii.  5,  "Jehovah  send  thee  bless- 
ing from  Zion,"  and  its  root  in  Num.  vi.  24,  "Jehovah  bless  thee,  and  keep 
•thee."  It  is  addressed  to  the  church,  and  to  every  individual  enrolled  in 
it,  and  thus  forms  a  suitable  conclusion  for  the  whole  collection  of  Pilgrim 
Songs. 

A   SONG  FOR  THE  PILGRIMAGES. 

1  Behold,  bless  ye  Jehovah, 

All  ye  servants  of  Jehovah. 
Ye  that  stand  by  night  in  the  house  of  Jehovah. 

2  To  the  holy  place,  lift  up  your  hands, 

And  bless  ye  Jehovah. 

3  Jehovah,  who  created  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 

Out  of  Zion  send  thee  blessing. 


300  THE   PSALMS. 

cxxxv. 

JEHOVAH,  THE  GOD  OF  ISRAEL,  THE  TRUE  GOD. 

THIS  Psalm  is  among  the  latest.     It  is  almost  wholly  made  up  of  pas- 
sages from  the  Psalms,  with  extracts  from  the  Law  and  the  Prophets. 
Delitzsch  compares  it  to  a  piece  of  mosaic,  resembling  in  this  respect  Psalms 
xcvii.  and  xcviii.,  although  its  material  is  gathered  from  other  sources. 

It  contains  thrice  seven  verses  :  — 

In  the  first  seven;  1.  Calls  to  praise  Jehovah  (1-3).    2.  The  reasons  given  (^-7). 

In  the  second  seven:  1.  Wonders  in  Egypt  (8,  9).  2.  Conquest  of  nations 
(10-12).  3.  God's  kindness  to  His  people  (13, 14). 

In  the  third  seven:  1.  The  impotence  of  idols  (15-18).  2.  God's  servants  called 
upon  to  bless  Him  (19-21). 

1  PRAISE  YE  JEHO.VAH! 

To  the  Name  of  Jehovah  give  praise  ; 
Praise  Him  ye  servants  of  Jehovah, 

2  That  stand  in  the  house  of  Jehovah, 
In  the  courts  of  the  house  of  our  God. 

3  Praise  ye  Jehovah,  for  Jehovah  is  good, 
Strike  the  harp  to  His  Name ;  it  is  gracious. 

4  For  Jehovah  chose  Zion  for  Himself, 
And  Israel  to  be  His  possession. 

5  For  I  know  that  Jehovah  is  great, 
That  our  Lord  is  above  all  the  gods ; 

6  Whatsoever  He  pleases,  He  does, 
In  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 

And  in  all  the  deep  gulfs ; 

7  He  makes  vapours  ascend  from  the  bounds  of  the  earth ; 
For  the  rain  He  makes  lightnings, 

And  the  wind  He  brings  forth  from  His  storehouse. 

8  It  is  He  that  smote  down  all  the  firstborn  of  Egypt, 

From  the  man  to  the  beast ; 

9  Into  the  midst  of  thee,  Egypt, 

He  sent  tokens  and  wonders, 
Upon  Pharaoh  and  all  those  that  served  him ; 


PSALM   CXXXVI.  301 

10  Who  smote  many  nations, 

And  slew  mighty  kings ; 

11  With  Sihon,  the  Amorite's  king, 

And  Og,  king  of  Bashan, 
All  the  kingdoms  of  Canaan ; 

12  And  their  land  He  bestowed  for  possession, 
A  possession  for  Israel  His  people. 

13  O  Jehovah,  Thy  Name  shall  endure  evermore, 
Thy  Memorial,  Jehovah,  to  all  generations ; 

14  For  Jehovah  awards  right  to  His  people, 
And  relents  over  His  servants. 

15  The  idols  of  the  nations  are  silver  and  gold, 

The  work  of  men's  hands ; 

1 6  They  have  mouths,  but  they  speak  not, 
They  have  eyes,  but  they  see  not ; 

17  They  have  ears,  but  they  hear  not, 

And  they  have  no  breath  in  their  mouth ; 

1 8  They  that  make,  become  like  them, 
Even  so  all  that  trust  them. 

19  House  of  Israel,  bless  ye  Jehovah, 
House  of  Aaron,  bless  ye  Jehovah ; 

20  House  of  Levi,  bless  ye  Jehovah, 

Bless  ye  Jehovah,  ye  servants  of  Jehovah  ^ 

21  Blessed  be  Jehovah  out  of  Zion, 
He  that  dwells  at  Jerusalem ; 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH! 


CXXXVI. 


GIVE  THANKS  TO  JEHOVAH. 

HERE  Hhodu  (give  thanks)  occurs  in  the  first  line  of  each  of  the  first 
three  verses,  after  which  the  Psalm  recites  the  wonders  of  God's 
grace  to  Israel  in  twenty-three  verses,  which  are  attached  to  the  Divine 
Name  Jehovah  at  the  beginning,  by  the  relative  pronoun,  so  in  fact  mak- 
ing a  single  complete  sentence  of  the  whole.  In  every  one  of  these  twenty- 
six  couplets,  the  second  line  is  a  refrain  like  the  responses  in  the  Litany, 
"  For  His  kindness  endureth  forever." 


302  THE   PSALMS. 

In  Jewish  liturgical  use  it  is  called  the  "  Great  Hallel,"  although  this 
term  is  sometimes  used  more  broadly  of  the  whole  group  cxx.-cxxxvi. 
See  at  Ps.  cxx. 


1  Give  thanks  to  Jehovah,  for  He  is  good, 
For  His  kindness  endureth  forever ; 

2  To  the  God  of  gods  give  ye  thanks, 
For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

3  To  the  Lord  of  lords  give  ye  thanks, 
For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 

4  Who  alone  does  great  wonders, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever ; 

5  Who  by  wisdom  made  the  heavens, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever  ; 

6  Who  spread  out  the  earth  on  the  waters, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 

7  Who  made  the  great  lights, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever  ; 

8  The  sun  to  rule  the  day, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

9  The  moon  and  stars  to  rule  the  night, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 

10  Who  smote  down  the  firstborn  of  Egypt, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever  ; 

11  Who  brought  Israel  forth  from  the  midst, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever ; 

12  His  hand  in  full  strength  and  His  arm  far  extended, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 

13  Who  cut  the  Red  Sea  into  parts, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

14  And  made  Israel  to  pass  through  the  midst, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever  ; 

15  But  Pharaoh  and  his  host  he  overthrew  in  the  sea, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 


PSALM   CXXXVII.  303 

16  Who  led  forward  His  people  in  the  desert, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever  ; 

17  Who  smote  mighty  kings, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

1 8  And  slew  kings  of  renown, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 

19  Sihon,  the  Amorites'  king, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

20  And  Og,  king  of  Bashan, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

21  And  gave  up  their  land  for  possession, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

22  For  a  possession  to  Israel,  His  servant, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 

23  Who  bare  us  in  mind  in  our  lowly  estate, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever ; 

24  And  let  us  break  away  from  our  foes, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

25  Who  gives  food  to  all  flesh, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever; 

26  To  the  God  of  high  heaven  give  thanks, 

For  His  kindness  endureth  forever. 


CXXXVII. 

THE    RIVERS  OF  BABYLON. 

AFTER  the  Psalms  of  praise  and  thanksgiving,  we  have  a  subdued  and 
plaintive  melody  relating  to  the  time  when  Zion  lay  in  ruins,  and  the 
cheerful  songs  of  the  Levite  choir  were  hushed.  It  is  the  reminiscence  of 
one  who  had  recently  returned  from  the  captivity,  recalling  the  taunts  of  the 
oppressor.  It  is  beautiful  in  expression,  and  although  tender  and  elegiac, 
especially  at  the  opening,  is  spirited  and  pictorial,  and  becomes  at  last 
almost  terrible.  See  Introductory  Essay,  page  xvi. 


304  THE   PSALMS. 

1  By  the  rivers  of  Babylon,  there  we  sat  down, 
Yea,  we  wept,  remembering  Zion ; 

2  On  the  willows  in  the  midst  thereof, 

We  hanged  up  our  harps. 

3  For  our  captors  there  asked  for  the  words  of  a  song, 

Our  tormentors  asked  gladness ; 
They  said,  "  Sing  us  songs  of  Mount  Zion." 

4  How  can  we  sing  the  songs  of  Jehovah, 

On  the  soil  of  the  alien? 

5  If  I  ever  forget  thee,  Jerusalem, 

Let  forgetfulness  seize  my  right  hand, 

6  And  my  tongue,  let  it  cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth, 
If  I  choose  not  Jerusalem  above  my  chief  joy. 

7  Remember,  Jehovah,  to  the  children  of  Edom, 

The  day  at  Jerusalem, 

When  they   cried,  "  Lay  it  bare,  lay  it  bare, 
Even  down  to  its  base." 

8  O  daughter  of  Babylon,  doomed  to  destruction, 
Blest  is  he  that  requites  thee, 

That  does  unto  thee  as  thou  didst  unto  us ; 

9  Blest  is  he  that  shall  seize  and  dash  down 

Thy  babes  on  a  rock. 


CXXXVIII. 

THE  FAITHFUL  AND  GRACIOUS  JEHOVAH,  TO  BE  PRAISED 
AND  TRUSTED   FOREVER. 

IN  the  opinion  of  Delitzsch  and  others,  although  this  Psalm  is  ascribed 
to  David  in  the  title,  he  is  not  its  author  in  any  direct  sense.  Yet 
it  is  closely  related  to  2  Sam.  vii.  and,  in  its  sentiment  and  expression,  one 
that  he  might  have  written  when  he  gave  God  the  glory  of  all  his  deliver- 
ances and  successes,  and  resolved  to  build  a  temple  to  His  holy  Name. 
There  seems  to  be  no  sufficient  reason  for  questioning  that  David  wrote 
it. 


PSALM   CXXXIX.  305 

1.  Thanksgiving  to  Jehovah  for  special  favour  and  help  in  great  need  (1-3) . 
S.  Prediction  that  all  kings  will  worship  and  serve  Him  (4-6)  •  3.  Confident  hope 
for  all  the  future  (7,8). 

BY   DAVID. 

I 

1  With  all  my  heart  do  I  thank  Thee, 

And  confronting  the  gods  unto  Thee  strike  the  harp ; 

2  Toward  Thy  holy  palace  bowing  down, 

I  give  thanks  to  Thy  Name, 

Because  of  Thy  kindness  and  truth  ; 
For  above  all  Thy  Name,  Thou  exaltest  Thy  word. 

3  In  the  day  that  I  called  didst  Thou  answer, 
And  with  strength  in  my  soul  mad'st  me  bold. 

4  All  the  kings  of  the  earth,  O  Jehovah,  will  thank  Thee, 
On  hearing  the  words  of  Thy  mouth ; 

5  They  will  sing  of  the  works  of  Jehovah, 
For  the  glory  of  Jehovah  is  great. 

6  For  Jehovah  is  high,  yet  He  looks  on  the  lowly, 
But  the  proud  He  knows  afar  off. 

7  If  I  walk  amidst  trouble,  Thou  wilt  hold  me  in  life, 
Against  the  wrath  of  my  foes  wilt  put  forth  Thy  hand, 

And  Thy  right  hand  will  save  me. 

8  Jehovah  will  perfect  His  work, 

In  all  that  concerns  me ; 
O  Jehovah,  Thy  kindness  endureth  forever, 
Forsake  not  the  work  of  Thy  hands. 


CXXXIX. 

JEHOVAH   IS   OMNISCIENT  AND   PRESENT  EVERYWHERE. 

THIS  Psalm  abounds  in  Aramaic  expressions.  But  for  the  title  proba- 
bly no  one  would  have  supposed  David  its  author.  Its  profound  and 
sustained  philosophic  thought,  too,  have  hardly  a  parallel  in  the  recognized 
Psalms  of  David.  Yet  on  either  ground  it  cannot  be  pronounced  impossi- 
ble that  he  should  have  written  it.  We  can  only  say  that  it  is  apparently 
the  product  of  a  later  age. 

Whoever  the  author,  the  Psalm  is  a  magnificent  exhibition  of  the  perfec- 
tions of  Jehovah  in  relation  to  men.     It  is  not  speculative,  but  eminently 

20 


3o6  THE   PSALMS. 

practical  in  its  bearing  on  the  life  and  responsibilities  of  man.  «'  In  lofti- 
ness of  thought  and  expressive  beauty  of  language,  the  Psalm  stands  pre- 
eminent, and  it  is  not  surprising  that  Aben-Ezra  should  have  pronounced  it 
to  be  'the  crown  of  all  the  Psalms.'"  —  Perowne. 

1.  The  omniscience  of  God  (1-6).  2.  His  omnipresence  (7-12).  8.  The  grounds 
of  this  profound  conviction  in  the  poefs  personal  experience,  observation,  and  reflec- 
tion (13-18).  4.  His  abhorrence  of  the  wicked,  with  an  earnest  prayer  for  a  right 
heart,  and  for  Divine  guidance  in  the  way  everlasting  (19-24-). 

FOR  THE   LEADER   OF   THE   CHOIR.      BY   DAVID.      A   PSALM. 

1  O  Jehovah,  Thou  hast  searched  me  and  knowest  — 

2  Thou  knowest  my  sitting  and  rising, 
Thou  discernest  my  thought  afar  off; 

3  Thou  hast  winnowed  my  path  and  my  couch, 

And  with  all  my  ways  hast  Thou  made  Thee  acquainted 

4  For  a  word  is  not  yet  on  my  tongue, 
When,  behold,  Jehovah,  Thou  knowest  it  all. 

5  Behind  and  before  Thou  art  close  round  about  me, 
And  down  over  me  puttest  Thy  hand. 

6  Too  great  is  this  knowledge,  too  wonderful  for  me, 
So  high  that  I  cannot  attain  it. 

7  Whither  shall  I  go  from  Thy  Spirit? 

Or  whither  shall  I  flee  from  Thy  presence? 

8  If  I  ascend  into  heaven,  Thou  art  there ; 

If  I  lie  down  in  Sheol,  behold,  Thou  art  there. 

9  If  I  lift  up  the  wings  of  the  dawn, 
And  alight  at  the  sea's  utmost  bound, 

10  Even  there  would  Thy  hand  be  my  guide, 
And  Thy  right  hand  would  grasp  me. 

11  If  I  say,  "  Let  only  the  darkness  enwrap  me, 
And  the  light  round  about  me  be  night;  " 

12  Not  too  dark  is  the  darkness  for  Thee, 
But  the  night  shines  as  clear  as  the  day; 

The  darkness  and  light  are  alike. 

13  For  Thou  didst  create  mine  innermost  being, 
And  weave  me  together  before  I  was  born. 

14  I  am  fearfully  distinguished,  and  thank  Thee ; 

That  Thy  working  is  wondrous,  my  soul  knows  right  well. 


PSALM   CXXXIX.  307 

15  From  Thee  was  my  frame  not  concealed, 

When  fashioned  in  secret, 
I  was  skilfully  wrought  in  the  depths  of  the  earth. 

1 6  Though  imperfect  my  substance,  Thine  eye  was  upon  me ; 

In  Thy  book  were  all  written, 
Days  already  shaped  out,  when  not  one  had  yet  come. 

17  How  precious  are  Thy  thoughts  to  me,  O  God, 
And  how  vast  is  their  sum. 

1 8  When  I  count  them,  they  are  more  than  the  sand ; 
I  awake,  and  I  still  am  with  Thee. 

19  The  wicked,  if  Thou  only  wouldst  slay  them,  O  God; 
Men  guilty  of  bloodshed,  oh,  leave  me  !  — 

20  Who  profane  Thy  Name  in  their  plotting, 
*  It  is  taken  in  vain  by  Thy  foes. 

21  O  God,  do  I  not  hate  those  that  hate  Thee, 
And  abhor  those  that  rise  up  against  Thee? 

22  With  perfect  hatred  do  I  hate  them ; 
I  count  Thine  enemies  mine. 

23  Search  me,  O  God,  and  know  Thou  my  heart, 

Prove  me,  and  know  Thou  the  thoughts  that  distract  me; 

24  And  see  if  Thou  find  there  ways  ending  in  sorrow, 
And  lead  me  in  the  way  everlasting. 

The  opening  verses  assert  the  most  hostile  sense;  but  the  context  be- 

comprehensive  and  exact  knowledge  fore  and  after  shows  that  it  is  here 

of  the  individual  man  in  all  the  con-  to  be  understood  only  of  such  pres- 

ditions  and  activities  of  his  outer  sure  as  brings  God  into  immediate 

and  inner  life.  contact  with  him  at  every  point,  as 

(3)  Thou  hast  winnowed  my  closely  as  the  atmosphere  which  so 
path  and  my  couch.  Heb.  Thou  presses  the  whole  surface  of  his 
hast  sifted  my  path  and  my  lair;  as  body  ;  yet  not  in  the  way  of  hostile 
if  every  particle  of  material,  on  which  and  painful  besetment  and  restric- 
he  treads  by  day,  or  has  lain  through  tion.  Also,  the  putting  the  hand 
the  night,  were  subjected  to  the  most  upon  is  here  not  punitive  or  afflic- 
searching  scrutiny.  Perchance  it  tive,  as  in  Job  xxxviii.  7,  but  de- 
may  have  received  some  impression  scribes  the  close  investment  as  being 
by  which  his  character  and  life  may  also  from  above ;  every  point  at  afl 
be  more  thoroughly  known.  times  touched,  felt,  and  perfectly 

(5)  Thou  art  close  round  about  known  by  the  omnipresent  and  all- 

me.  Heb.  tsartani  from  tsur,  to  pervading  God.  "  In  Him  we  live, 

press  upon;  generally  used  in  a  and  move,  and  have  our  being." 


308 


THE   PSALMS. 


(8)  Heaven  and  Sheol  here  re- 
present only  the  highest  and  lowest 
points  conceivable.     God  is  every- 
where. 

(9)  The    -wings   of   the   dawn. 
The  earliest  rays  of  the  sun;  as  if 
on  these  he  were  borne  westward 
with  the  speed  of  light  to  the  ex- 
treme limits   of  space  beyond  the 
Great  Sea. 

(13)  Mine  innermost  being.  Heb. 
my  reins,  kidneys;  regarded  in  the 
Semitic  psychology,  as  the  seat  of 
the  desires,  affections,  and  all  the 
deeper  emotions  that  distinguish 
man's  spiritual  nature.  See  note  on 
xvi.  8,  "My  longings"  The  inte- 
rior parts  of  the  body  represent  the 
points  through  which,  in  one  direc- 
tion, the  immortal  spirit  was  sup- 
posed to  express  itself  outwardly, 
and  in  the  opposite  direction,  to  be 
wrought  upon  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 
This  reference  lifts  the  whole  fol- 
lowing description  above  any  gross 
material  conceptions,  as  if  the  Psalm- 
ist were  glorifying  the  wisdom  and 
power  of  God,  as  exhibited  in  his 
physical  constitution.  It  is  not  in 
the  possession  of  a  skilfully  wrought 
body,  with  members  adapted  to  his 
life  on  the  earth,  that  man  is 


"fearfully  distinguished."  The  man 
and  the  beast  are  alike  in  having 
the  heart,  the  reins,  and  all  other 
material  organs,  performing  their 
several  functions  with  admirable 
perfection  and  fidelity.  But  this  is 
the  marvel  of  God's  workmanship 
and  the  chief  glory  of  man,  that  his 
perishable  body  is  the  seat  and 
throne  of  spiritual  and  Divine  en- 
dowments, and  that  the  two  diverse 
elements  in  his  nature  are  woven 
together  as  one. 

There  is  wrapped  up  in  the  em- 
bryonic condition  of  man,  not  merely 
a  body  to  be  developed  into  won- 
drous symmetry,  strength,  and  adap- 
tation to  temporary  purposes,  but  an 
eternity  of  thought,  feeling,  fellow- 
ship with  God,  and  spiritual  activity 
and  enjoyment.  It  is  a  fine  thought 
of  Hupfeld,  that  the  "imperfect 
substance  "  (Heb.  a  rolled  up  mass, 
ver.  16),  "is  the  yet  undeveloped 
course  of  life,  the  days  of  which, 
in  their  continuity,  are  the  thread, 
rolled  up  as  in  a  ball,  which  is  un- 
wound as  life  goes  on."  Yet  it  is 
not  his  own  thought,  but  that  sug- 
gested by  the  most  literal  translation 
of  the  words  of  the  Hebrew  poet. 


CXL. 


PRAYER  FOR   PROTECTION   FROM  THE  MALIGNANT  AND 

CRAFTY. 

THERE  is  much  in  the  style  and  language  of  this  to  confirm  its  ascrip. 
tion  to  David,  and  nothing  to  the  contrary.     It  finds  a  suitable  his- 
toric background   in  the  rebellion   under  Absalom,   and  bears  a  strong 
resemblance  to  Psalms  Iviii.  and  Ixiv.,  which  belong  to  that  time. 

FOR  THE  LEADER  OF  THE  CHOIR.   A  PSALM  OF  DAVID. 

1  Deliver  me,  Jehovah,  from  the  wicked, 
Preserve  me  from  men  of  foul  deeds ; 

2  Who  plan  evil  deeds  in  their  heart, 
And  daily  excite  wars. 


PSALM   CXLI. 


309 


3  They  sharpen  their  tongue  like  a  serpent, 

And  have  in  their  lips  the  poison  of  adders.        [Selah.] 

4  Keep  me,  Jehovah,  from  the  hands  of  the  wicked, 

Preserve  me  from  men  of  foul  deeds, 
Who  think  from  my  footing  to  thrust  me ; 

5  For  the  proud  have  hid  for  me  nooses  and  snares, 

By  my  path  they  spread  nets  and  set  traps.         [Selah.] 

6  I  say  to  Jehovah,  "  Thou  art  my  God, 
Give  ear  to  my  suppliant  cry ; 

7  Jehovah,  O  Lord,  the  stronghold  that  saves  me, 
In  the  day  of  the  battle  Thou  protectest  my  head. 

8  Grant  not,  Jehovah,  the  desires  of  the  wicked ; 
Let  their  plots  come  to  nought, 

That  they  be  not  exalted."  [Selah.] 

9  The  head  of  my  assailants, 

Let  the  ill  of  their  lips  overwhelm ; 

10  Let  hot  coals  come  quivering  against  them; 

Into  the  fire  be  they  hurled, 
Into  gulfs  whence  they  cannot  arise. 

1 1  Let  not  the  slanderer  stand  fast  in  the  land  ; 
And  the  men  of  foul  deeds, 

Let  evil  hunt  down  to  their  ruin. 

12  I  know  that  Jehovah  upholds  the  sufferers'  cause, 
The  right  of  the  lowly ; 

13  The  righteous  shall  surely  give  thanks  to  Thy  Name, 
The  upright  shall  dwell  in  Thy  presence. 


CXLI. 


EVENING   SONG  IN  THE  TIME  OF  ABSALOM. 

'"pHIS  Psalm,  like  the  last,  is  best  explained  by  David's  persecution  dur- 
-I-      ing  Absalom's  rebellion.     It  was  used  by  the  ancient  church  as  the 
evening  Psalm,  as  Psalm  Ixiii.  was  the  morning  Psalm. 


3io  THE   PSALMS. 

1.  Supplication  for  special  help  and  grace  in  the  midst  of  surrounding  evil  (1-4) 
&.  Great  tribulation  in  the  present,  but  a  hope  of  better  things  hereafter  (5-7) 
3.  Reliance  on  God  (8-10). 

A    PSALM    OF  DAVID. 

1  Unto  Thee  do  I  call ;   O  Jehovah,  come  to  me  quickly ; 
When  I  call  Thee,  give  ear  to  my  voice. 

2  Let  my  prayer  come  as  incense  before  Thee, 
My  hands  lifted  high  as  the  evening  oblation. 

3  Set  a  watch,  O  Jehovah,  on  my  mouth, 
A  guard  at  the  door  of  my  lips  ; 

4  Incline  not  my  heart  to  any  thing  evil, 

To  practise  foul  deeds  of  injustice 

With  men  busy  in  wrong ; 
And  let  me  not  feed  on  their  dainties. 

5  "  Let  a  righteous  man  smite  me,"  in  derision  they  say; 

"  Let  him  kindly  correct  me ; 
Such  oil  for  my  head,  let  my  head  not  refuse ;  " 
But  e'en  yet,  (and  while  they  do  wickedly,  this  is  my  prayer,) 

6  When  their  judges  are  hurled  down  the  sides  of  the  cliff, 
They  will  hear  my  words,  for  they  are  gracious. 

7  As  one  ploughing  and  cleaving  the  soil, 
They  have  scattered  our  bones, 

At  the  mouth  of  the  pit. 

8  But  to  Thee  are  my  eyes,  O  Jehovah  the  Lord; 
In  Thee  do  I  hide ; 

O  yield  not  my  soul  unto  death. 

9  Keep  me  safe  from  the  snare  they  have  laid, 
From  the  traps  of  those  busy  in  wrong  ; 

IO   Let  the  wicked  fall  down  in  their  net, 
So  that  I  thereupon  may  escape. 

(5,6)   By  common    consent  the  ing  of  the  corrected  text:  'For  while 

Psalms  contain  no  passage  more  dif-  my    prayer     rose    at  their  wicked 

ficult  than  this.     Prof.  Cheyne  pro-  deeds,   down  from    the    crag  were 

nounces  it  "  hopeless  in  the  present  hurled  their  rulers,  and  the  pious 

state  of  the  Hebrew  text."    He  says,  heard  (concerning)  my  words  that 

*'  the  most  plausible  way  out  of  the  they  had  been  pleasant  in  the  ears 

difficulty  is  Bickell's.    But  it  is  bold  of  Jehovah.'     He  finds  in  this  an  al- 

in  the  extreme.    This  is  his  render-  lusion  to  some  unknown  event  which 


PSALM   CXLI. 


the  Psalmist  regarded  as  a  Divine 
interposition  in  answer  to  prayer." 
This  being  all  that  the  most  ad- 
vanced textual  criticism  can  do  for 
us,  it  may  be  well  to  enquire  wheth- 
er nothing  more  can  be  accomplished 
by  exegesis. 

The  whole  difficulty  does  not  lie 
in  the  parts  of  these  verses  that  are 
condemned  as  corrupted  and  imprac- 
ticable, but  extends  equally  to  the 
former  part  of  ver.  5,  which  is  ac- 
cepted as  sound.  Perhaps  complete 
relief  may  result  from  leaving  out  of 
view  all  that  follows,  and  pressing 
to  an  answer  a  question  which  does 
not  seem  hitherto  to  have  been 
asked  :  What  motive  can  be  discov- 
ered in  the  scope  or  context  for  a 
reference  to  personal  ill-doing,  and 
the  smiting  of  the  righteous  ?  An 
answer  may  be  obtained  by  weighing 
supposable  hypotheses. 

One  of  these  is  that  the  poet,  ex- 
pressing in  ver.  4  his  horror  at  sur- 
rounding wickedness,  and  praying  to 
be  kept  from  it,  contemplates  never- 
theless a  possibility  that  he  may  be 
led  into  sin,  and  further,  that  some 
good  man  may  rebuke  him,  and  de- 
clares that  he  will  welcome  such  re- 
buke as  a  kindness.  But,  where 
present  trouble  and  need  were  so  ab- 
sorbing, the  introduction  of  thoughts 
so  far  removed  from  the  actual  is 


highly  improbable. 
The 


occasion  and  scope  of  the 
Psalm  suggest  another  possibility. 
It  may  be  supposed  that  the  poet, 
shocked  by  what  he  saw  and  heard, 
had  remonstrated  with  the  evil-doers, 
but  his  words  had  been  unheeded 
or  resented  ;  and  that  thereupon  he 
declares  how  differently  he  would 
himself  have  acted  under  like  cir- 
cumstances. But  however  probable 
such  rebukes,  this  meaning  must  have 
been  indicated  by  some  contrast!  ve 
allusion,  if  only  by  emphasis  on  a 
pronoun,  implying  that  their  spirit 
was  different  from  his  own. 

Looking  at  the  context  we  find  a 
clue  to  something  more  satisfactory 
at  the  close  of  ver.  6  :  "  They  will 


hear  my  words,  for  they  are  gra- 
cious." The  verb  is  in  the  perfect 
tense,  but  surely  it  is  the  well-known 
predictive  future.  As  often  else- 
where, future  events  are  seen  with 
prophetic  certainty  as  accomplished 
facts.  Seexxxvi.  13.  This  suggests 
a  contrast  in  the  mind  of  the  poet 
between  a  hereafter,  when,  judgment 
having  fallen  upon  the  wicked  rulers, 
the  mass  of  the  people  shall  return 
to  their  right  mind,  and  receive 
meekly  his  gracious  admonitions,  and 
the  present,  in  which  they  mock  at 
his  counsel,  and  will  none  of  his 
reproof. 

This  illuminates  the  whole  pas- 
sage. For  it  indicates  that  we  are 
to  find  the  protasis  in  this  contrast 
in  ver.  5,  as  containing  not  his  own 
words,  but  the  derisive  reply  of  the 
wicked  to  his  earnest  protest  against 
their  wickedness  :  "  Let  a  righteous 
man  smite  me,"  etc.  A  precisely 
similar  case  occurs  in  xxii.  8,  where 
as  here,  the  explicative  "  they  say" 
is  wanting  before  the  jeering  words 
addressed  to  the  sufferer.  Also  in 
ii.  3,  there  is  no  word  to  indicate  that 
the  cry  "  Let  us  tear  off  their  fetters, 
and  their  bonds  cast  away  "  is  from 
the  conspirators,  and  not  from  the 
poet.  So  lix.  7,  and  for  similar  omis- 
sion before  a  Divine  utterance,  cv. 
1  5.  Everything  now  falls  into  place 
in  the  phrase, 


M  C-3)  is  for  ki  'im  (Dtf  '3),  but;  as 
often  after  a  negative  clause,  wheth- 
er expressed  or  implied.  For  the 
latter  see  xliv.  22,  xlix.  10,  cxxx.  4. 

The  particle  W  ("lty)»  ye^  carries 
the  mind  forward  to  ver.  6,  "  they  will 
hear  my  words,"  and  is  nearly  equiv- 
alent to  hereafter,  as  in  xlii.  5,  xliii. 
5,  "I  shall  yet  praise  Him;"  Hab. 
ii.  3,  "  The  vision  is  yet  for  an  ap- 
pointed time." 

The  conjunctive  and  (})  connects 
his  prayer,  continuing  through  "their 
wickedness,"  with  that  future,  as  the 
consummation  of  his  desire. 

The  prep,  in  (?)  is  temporal,  in  the 


312  THE   PSALMS. 

time  of,  and  the  following  verbs  de-  Vers.  has,  "  For  even  in  their  wick- 
scribe  the  overthrow  of  the  rulers  edness  shall  my  prayer  continue, 
who  have  personally  and  officially  en-  Their  judges  are  thrown  down  by 
couraged  and  maintained  the  worst  the  sides  of  the  rock;  and  they  shall 
practices,  as  an  accomplished  fact,  hear  my  words,  for  they  are  sweet;  " 
which  shall  result  in  the  recovery  of  with  the  marg.  or,  For  still  is  my 
the  people  from  their  folly.  "  Down  prayer  against  their  wickedness. 
by  the  sides  of  the  cliff"  may  be  an  As  to  the  former,  "even  "  is  an  in- 
allusion  to  an  ancient  mode  of  pun-  adequate  translation  of  "dd  (nty); 
ishment,  by  casting  a  criminal  from  and  in  the  latter,  "prayer  against'1'1 
a  precipice.  But  more  probably  it  would  certainly  not  be  expressed  so 
has  reference  to  their  exalted  posi-  weakly  as  by  the  prep,  beth  (?)  in. 
tion  in  which  they  imagine  them-  We  should  have  at  least  W  (Sj')» 
selves  safe.  Throughout  the  Psalms  upon,  concerning,  and  after  verbs 
a  cliff  (jh$,  stld)  is  a  symbol  of  ele-  that  involve  the  idea  of  opposition, 
vation  and  security.  Here  the  Rev.  against. 


CXLII. 


A  LATER  CRY  FROM  THE  CAVE. 

IT  is  impossible  to  determine  whether  the  cave  referred  to  in  the  title  is 
the  cave  of  Adullam,  connecting  the  Psalm  with  I  Sam.  xxii.,  or  the 
cave  of  Engedi,  with  its  dark  passages  and  chambers,  mentioned  in  i  Sam. 
xxiv.     Probably  like  Ps.  Ivii.  it  is  connected  with  the  latter. 

1.  Petition  (1,  2}.    2.  Description  of  distress  (3,  £).     3.  Entreaty  for  deliver- 
ance (5-7). 

MASKIL.      A   PRAYER   OF   DAVID   WHEN    HE   WAS   IN   THE    CAVE. 

1  With  loud  voice  I  cry  to  Jehovah, 

With  loud  voice  to  Jehovah  I  make  supplication. 

2  Before  Him  I  pour  out  my  plaint, 

I  spread  my  sore  trouble  before  Him. 

3  When  my  spirit  is  fainting  within  me, 

Unto  Thee  my  path  is  well  known ; 
In  the  way  that  I  go,  they  hid  snares  to  entrap  me. 

4  O  look  to  the  right  hand  and  see, 

There  is  none  that  regards  me ; 
Refuge  has  failed  me, 

There  is  no  man  that  cares  for  my  soul. 


PSALM   CXLIII.  313 

5  Unto  Thee,  O  Jehovah,  I  cry, 
I  say,  "  THOU  art  my  refuge, 

In  the  land  of  the  living,  my  portion." 

6  Oh,  heed  Thou  my  wailing, 

For  I  am  weak,  very  weak ; 
Deliver  me  from  all  my  pursuers, 
For  they  are  stronger  than  I. 

7  Bring  my  soul  out  of  prison, 

To  give  thanks  to  Thy  Name ; 
And  in  me  the  righteous  shall  glory, 

That  Thou  hast  dealt  graciously  with  me. 


CXLIII. 

THIS  Psalm  has  the  same  reference  to  Absalom's  persecution  as  the 
two  preceding.  Its  prevailing  tone  is  that  of  despondency,  con- 
nected with  a  deep  consciousness  of  sin,  which  distinguishes  the  Psalms 
of  this  period  from  those  that  had  their  origin  in  David's  persecution  by 
Saul,  and  on  this  account  it  was  chosen  as  the  last  of  the  seven  Penitential 
Psalms. 

1.  Complaint  (1-6).    2.  Prayer  founded  upon  the  complaint  (7-12). 
A  PSALM    OF    DAVID. 

1  Hear  my  prayer,  O  Jehovah  ; 

Give  ear  to  my  suppliant  cry ; 
In  Thy  faithfulness  answer, 

And  thus  be  Thy  righteousness  shown ; 

2  And  bring  not  Thy  servant  before  Thee  in  judgment, 
For  no  living  man  can  be  just  in  Thy  sight. 

3  For  the  enemy  pursuing  my  soul, 

And  crushing  my  life  to  the  earth, 
Has  made  me  to  dwell  in  dark  places, 
Like  the  dead  of  the  far  away  time. 

4  Therefore  my  spirit  within  becomes  faint, 
Yea,  deep  within  me  my  heart  is  benumbed. 


314  THE   PSALMS. 

5  The  days  of  old  I  remember, 

I  ponder  on  all  Thou  hast  done, 
The  work  of  Thy  power  I  consider. 

6  Unto  Thee  I  stretch  forth  my  hands ; 
Like  thirsty  land  my  soul  turns  to  Thee. 

7  Answer  me  speedily,  Jehovah, 

For  my  spirit  is  failing ; 
Oh,  hide  Thou  not  from  me  Thy  face, 

Lest  I  be  like  those  that  go  down  to  the  pit. 

8  Thine  own  lovingkindness  may  I  hear  at  the  dawn, 

For  in  Thee  do  I  trust; 

Let  me  know  the  way  in  which  I  should  walk, 
For  to  Thee  do  I  lift  up  my  soul. 

9  Give  me  escape  from  my  foes,  O  Jehovah, 
For  in  Thee  do  I  hide. 

10  The  doing  Thy  will,  wilt  Thou  teach  me, 

For  Thou  art  my  God ; 
Thy  good  Spirit,  in  an  even  path  let  Him  lead  me. 

1 1  For  Thy  Name's  sake,  Jehovah,  let  me  live  ; 

In  Thy  justice  deliver  my  soul  from  sore  pressure ; 

12  And  in  Thy  lovingkindness  bring  death  to  my  foes  ; 
Those  oppressing  my  soul,  let  them  all  be  destroyed, 

For  I  am  Thy  servant. 


CXLIV. 


SEEKING  HELP  BEFORE  BATTLE. 

THIS  Psalm,  to  the  close  of  ver.  1 1,  is  made  up  of  the  fragments  of  other 
Psalms.  Most  frequently  it  borrows  from  Ps.  xviii.  It  is  probable 
that  it  can  only  be  called  David's,  as  culled  from  his  writings.  This  would 
be  more  likely  to  be  done  by  another  than  by  himself.  The  sections  after 
ver.  1 1  are  very  different  in  thought,  language,  and  style,  and  attached  very 
singularly  and  inexplicably  by  the  relative  pronoun  or  conjunction,  Dasher, 
followed  by  a  series  of  participles.  It  is  thought  by  some  to  be  part  of 
another  Psalm,  of  which  nothing  is  known. 


PSALM   CXLIV.  3! 5 

1.  A  king  praises  God  for  past  help,  especially  in  view  of  man's  feeble  and  per- 
ishing nature  (1-4)'  %•  He  prays  jor  victory  over  powerful  and  treacherous  enemies 
(5-8).  3.  He  promises  thankful  songs  in  remembrance  of  God's  glorious  dealings 
with  David,  repeating  the  previous  description  of  his  enemies  as  a  refrain  (9-11). 
4-.  The  prosperity  of  a  people  whose  God  is  Jehovah  (12-15). 

BY   DAVID. 

1  Blessed  be  Jehovah,  my  rock, 

Who  traineth  my  hands  for  the  battle, 
My  fingers  for  war ; 

2  Who  deals  with  me  kindly,  and  gives  me  protection, 

My  tower  and  deliverer ; 
He  is  my  shield  and  in  Him  I  take  refuge, 
Who  subdues  my  people  to  my  rule. 

3  What  is  man,  O  Jehovah,  that  for  him  Thou  shouldst  care, 
The  son  of  a  mortal  to  be  heeded  by  THEE? 

4  As  for  man  he  is  like  breath, 

His  days  are  a  shadow  that  passes. 

5  Bow  Thy  heavens,  Jehovah,  and  come  down, 
Touch  the  mountains  that  they  smoke. 

6  Flash  out  lightnings  and  disperse  them, 
Shoot  Thine  arrows  and  confound  them. 

7  Snatch  and  deliver  me  out  of  great  waters, 

From  the  hand  of  the  alien ; 

8  Whose  mouth  speaketh  lies, 
And  their  right  hand  is  falsehood. 

9  I  will  sing  a  new  song  to  Thee,  O  God ; 

Unto  Thee  will  I  play  on  a  harp  of  ten  strings ; 

10  Who  givest  deliverance  to  kings, 
And  David  Thy  servant  didst  snatch 

From  the  death-dealing  sword. 

1 1  Oh,  snatch  me  and  deliver, 

From  the  hand  of  the  alien, 
Whose  mouth  speaketh  lies, 

And  their  right  hand  is  falsehood. 

12  When  our  sons  are  like  trees 

Grown  great  in  their  youth ; 


THE   PSALMS. 


Our  daughters,  the  embellished  cornices 
Wrought  for  a  palace  ; 

13  Our  garners  are  full, 

Having  store  of  all  kinds  ; 
Our  flocks  in  our  pastures, 

Bearing  thousands,  yea,  myriads ; 

14  Our  oxen  increase  ; 

And  no  breach,  and  no  exile, 
And  no  cry  of  want  in  our  streets. 

15  How  blest  is  the  people  with  whom  it  is  thus ! 
How  blest  is  the  people  whose  God  is  Jehovah ! 


(8)  Their  right  hand  is  false- 
hood. The  right  hand,  as  elsewhere, 
is  power  in  its  greatest  activity.  In 
the  Hebrew  there  is  an  emphatic 
repetition:  "their  right  hand  is  a 
right  hand  of  falsehood."  Every  ac- 
tivity is  possessed,  directed,  and 
controlled  by  falsehood  as  the  spirit 
that  inspires  it,  the  opposite  of  the 
description  in  Ps.  xv.  2 :  "  the  thought 
of  whose  heart  is  the  truth."  This 
occurs  again  in  ver.  1 1 . 

(12-15)  When  our  sons,  etc. 
The  different  key  in  this  and  the 
following  verses  does  not  necessarily 
indicate  that  this  is  a  fragment  from 
an  unknown  Psalm,  which  has  be- 
come attached  to  this  one  in  some 
inexplicable  way.  Such  contrasts 
occur  often,  and  are  most  artistic  and 
effective.  A  "radiation  of  gloom" 
persistent  and  sustained  to  the  end, 
like  that  in  Ps.  Ixxxviii.,  is  very  rare. 
As  another  example  of  the  opposite, 
notice  the  sudden  transition  from  the 
wailing  cry  of  a  sufferer  to  the  glad 
shout,  "Thou  hast  answered  my 
prayer,"  in  Ps.  xxii.,  in  the  middle  of 
verse  21,  and  continuing  in  the  same 
key  of  exultation  from  that  point  to 
the  close.  See  also  the  closing  para- 
graph in  notes  to  Ps.  xxxvi.,  where 
the  same  theory  of  the  accidental  co- 
herence of  parts  of  different  Psalms 
has  been  projected.  Among  various 
opinions  about  the  connection,  that 
expressed  in  the  Revised  Version 


seems  most  probable,  at  what  time, 
or  ivhen,  as  as  her  in  cxxxix.  1551 
Kings  viii.  9,  etc.  It  does  not  else- 
where occur  in  this  sense  except  with 
the  praeter,  but  there  is  nothing  to 
forbid  the  use  of  the  participle  where 
the  writer  is  referring  not  to  an  act, 
but  to  a  settled  condition  of  affairs. 
He  here  exhibits  the  result  in  the 
future  of  the  Divine  aid  and  bless- 
ing so  fervently  implored. 

(12)  As  trees.  Heb.  as  plants; 
that  is,  things  planted  of  whatever 
kind,  and  not  limited  to  the  smaller 
vegetation.  The  participle  grown 
great  shows  that  young  trees  are  in- 
tended. —  The  embellished  cor- 
nices wrought  in  a  palace.  Heb. 
Vzaviyyoth  trthhuttaboth  tabuith 
hekal.  It  is  difficult  to  identify  the 
precise  meaning  of  the  two  leading 
words.  The  former  of  them  is  used 
in  O.  T.  only  of  the  corners  of  the 
altar  in  Zech.  ix.  15.  The  following 
word  occurs  elsewhere  only  at  Prov. 
vii.  1 6,  of  the  decoration  of  a  bed 
with  'variegated  cloths  from  Egypt. 
Its  verb-root  is  used  only  of  cutting 
sticks  for  firewood,  and  never  of 
carving  or  sculpture.  The  thought 
of  carved  pillars  or  sculptured  fe- 
male forms  on  the  exterior  of  a 
building,  supporting  the  entablature, 
is  abandoned  as  a  myth.  Every- 
thing here  points  to  female  shapeli- 
ness of  form,  as  enhanced  by  the  use 
of  stuffs  of  beautiful  colours,  like 


PSALM   CXLV. 


317 


the  hangings  and  other  tasteful  orna- 
mentation of  a  palace.  The  word 
tabnith,  the  third  in  the  clause,  from 
bandh,  to  build,  is  the  architectural 
plan  or  pattern,  including  all  details 
of  arrangement  and  decoration,  as  in 
Ex.  xxv.  9,  40.  As  so  followed,  the 
leading  noun  seems  to  mean  some 
ornamental  feature  of  a  palace  in 
which  the  skill  of  the  architect  and 
decorator  are  combined.  It  could 
scarcely  refer  to  projecting  corners, 
boldly  challenging  admiration  ;  rath- 
er, retreating  corners,  in  the  remote 
angles  of  the  room,  as  more  suitable 
to  the  graceful  modesty  of  Oriental 
maidens.  The  only  question  remain- 
ing is,  whether  in  palace-building 
these  were  distinguished  by  any  spe- 
cial features  of  beauty.  The  answer 
lies  in  the  cornice  with  which  the  cor- 
ners in  a  large  reception-room  were 
filled.  So  Dr.  J.  G.  Wetzstein  in  De- 
litzsch :  "  Cornices  with  variegated 
carved  work  are  found  even  in  the 
present  day  in  the  reception-room  of 
all  handsome  houses  in  Damascus 
(comp.  Lane,  Manners  and  Cus- 
toms of  the  Modern  Egyptians,  vol. 
i.  p.  37).  An  architectural  orna- 
ment made  up  with  much  good  taste 
and  laborious  art  of  wood-carvings, 
and  glittering  in  gold  and  brilliant 
colours,  covers  the  upper  part  of  the 
corners,  of  which  a  ka'a  may  have  as 
many  as  sixteen,  since  three  wings 
may  abut  upon  the  square  with  the 
marble  basin.  This  decoration,  which 


produces  an  exceedingly  pleasing 
effect  upon  the  eye,  sets  off  to  great 
advantage  rooms  that  are  from"  two 
to  three  stories  high,  and  is  evident- 
ly meant  to  lighten  up  the  darker 
angles  near  the  ceiling  for  the  length 
of  from  six  to  nine  feet,  gradually 
becoming  narrower  as  it  descends. 
It  is  broadest  above,  so  that  there  it 
also  covers  the  horizontal  corners 
formed  by  the  walls  and  the  ceiling. 
If  we  might  assume  that  this  crown- 
ing of  the  corners  goes  back  into 
Biblical  antiquity,  then  the  Psalmist 
would  have  used  them  (the  corners) 
as  a  simile  to  mark  the  beauty,  the 
gorgeous  dress,  and  the  rich  jewelry 
of  the  women  ;  perhaps  also  because 
they  are  not  only  modest  and  chaste 
(comp.  the  Arabic  mesturat,  a  veiled 
woman,  in  opposition  to  mestmisat, 
one  shone  on  by  the  sun),  but  be- 
cause, like  the  children  of  respecta- 
ble families,  they  are  hidden  from 
the  eyes  of  strangers,  —  for  an  Arabic 
proverb  says,  *  Treasures  are  hidden 
in  corners ;'  and  the  superscription 
to  a  woman  of  position  runs,  *  May  it 
kiss  the  hands  of  the  guarded  lady 
and  the  hidden  jewel.'" 

(14)  And  no  breach.  That  is, 
no  breach  of  the  walls,  and  conse- 
quent capture  by  an  invading  army. 
—  No  exile.  H  eb.  no  goings  forth; 
captivity  following  upon  surrender. 
See  Ezek.  xii.  4:  "Thou  shalt  go 
forth  at  even  in  their  sight,  as  they 
that  go  forth  into  captivity." 


CXLV. 


PRAISE  TO  THE  ALL  BOUNTIFUL  KING. 


'"pHIS  is  the  last  of  the  Alphabetical  Psalms.  Each  verse  begins  with 
1  a  letter  of  the  Hebrew  alphabet,  nun  only  being  omitted.  It  is  the 
only  Psalm  that  has  fhillah,  praise,  in  its  title,  and  this  is  its  keynote.  It 
has  great  breadth,  extolling  the  goodness  of  God  to  every  living  thing.  It 
was  used  in  the  ancient  Church  at  the  mid-day  meal,  and  ver.  15  at  the 
Passover. 


318  THE   PSALMS. 

1.  Jehovah  to  be  praised  for  His  general  goodness  (1-7).  2.  His  kindness  and 
compassion,  like  His  kingdom,  are  universal  and  everlasting  (8-13).  3.  The  suffer- 
ing and  needy  turn  to  Him,  and  are  helped  (14-17).  £.  He  is  ready  to  hear  and 
answer  those  that  love  and  fear  Him  (18-21). 

A   SONG   OF  PRAISE.      BY  DAVID. 

1  My  God,  O  King,  I  will  extol  Thee, 

And  forever  and  atlway  Thy  Name  will  I  bless. 

2  Every  day  will  I  bless  Thee, 

And  forever  and  alway  Thy  Name  will  I  praise. 

3  Jehovah  is  great,  and  most  worthy  of  praise, 
There  is  no  searching  out  of  His  greatness. 

4  One  generation  shall  praise  to  another  Thy  works, 
Shall  declare  Thy  mighty  achievements. 

5  Thy  majesty  glorious  in  splendour, 
And  Thy  wonderful  works  will  I  sing ; 

6  That  others  may  publish  the  might  of  Thy  terrible  acts, 
I  will  tell  of  Thy  greatness. 

7  They  will  pour  forth  the  fame  of  Thy  goodness  abundant, 
And  Thy  righteousness  joyfully  sing. 

8  Jehovah  is  gracious,  of  tender  compassion, 
Slow  to  anger,  and  of  great  lovingkindness  ; 

9  Jehovah  is  good  unto  all, 

Over  all  His  works  His  compassions  abound. 

10  All  Thy  works,  O  Jehovah,  give  Thee  thanks, 
And  those  whom  Thou  lovest  adore  Thee ; 

1 1  They  tell  of  the  glory  of  Thy  kingdom, 
And  speak  of  Thy  power, 

12  To  make  known  to  the  children  of  men 

His  mighty  achievements, 
And  the  glorious  splendour  of  His  kingdom. 

13  Thy  kingdom  is  a  kingdom  everlasting, 

Thy  dominion  endures  throughout  all  generations. 

14  Jehovah  upholds  all  that  fall, 

And  all  the  bowed  down  He  lifts  up. 

15  The  eyes  of  all  are  looking  to  Thee, 

And  Thou  givest  them  food  in  due  season ; 


PSALM   CXLVI.  319 

16  Thou  openest  Thy  hand, 

To  fill  the  desire  of  all  things  that  live. 

17  In  all  His  ways  Jehovah  is  righteous, 
And  in  all  His  works  He  is  gracious. 

1 8  Jehovah  is  gracious  to  all  that  invoke  Him, 
To  all  that  invoke  Him  in  truth ; 

19  He  fulfils  the  desire  of  those  that  revere  Him, 
He  hears  their  cry  and  will  save  them. 

20  Jehovah  preserves  all  that  love  Him, 
All  the  wicked  He  destroys. 

21  Let  my  mouth  proclaim  the  praise  of  Jehovah, 
And  His  holy  Name  let  mortals  all  bless, 

Forever  and  alway. 


CXLVI. 


HALLELUJAH  TO  THE  ONE  TRUE  HELPER. 

THE  opening  and  the  close  connect  this  with  the  Hallelujah  Psalms, 
cxi.  and  after.     In  the  Liturgy  of  the  second  temple,  Psalms  cxlvi.- 
cxlix.  formed  a  special  Hallel,  which  is  referred  to  the  Prophets  Haggai 
and  Zechariah.     It  describes  a  depressed  condition  of  the  people,  and  its 
language,  style,  and  scope  connect  it  with  the  period  after  the  exile. 

1.  A  warning  against  trusting  in  princes  (1—4).  2.  Jehwah,  the  God  of  Israel, 
exhibited  as  the  Almighty  Creator,  the  Judge  and  Deliverer  of  the  helpless,  and  the 
Eternal  King  (5-10). 

1  PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 
Praise  Jehovah  my  soul ; 

2  O  Jehovah,  while  I  live  will  I  praise  Thee ; 
Melodious  strains  will  I  raise  to  my  God, 

While  my  being  endures. 

3  Trust  not  in  princes, 

In  the  earthborn  from  whom  no  salvation  can  come. 

4  When  his  breath  goes  forth,  he  returns  to  his  earth; 
In  that  very  day  his  devices  all  perish. 


320  THE   PSALMS. 

5  How  blest  is  the  man  that  has  Jacob's  God  for  his  help, 
And  that  hopes  in  Jehovah,  his  God ; 

6  In  the  Maker  of  the  heavens  and  the  earth, 

Of  the  sea  and  all  that  is  in  them, 
Who  forever  keeps  truth  ; 

7  Who  redresses  the  oppressed, 

And  deals  bread  to  the  hungry ; 
Jehovah  looses  the  bound  ; 

8  Jehovah  opens  the  eyes  of  the  blind  ; 

Jehovah  cheers  the  depressed  ; 
Jehovah  loveth  the  righteous  ; 

9  Jehovah  preserveth  the  stranger, 

Sustaineth  the  orphan  and  widow, 
But  the  way  of  the  wicked  overturns. 
10   Jehovah  forever  shall  reign, 

Thy  God,  O  Zion,  to  all  generations ; 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 


CXLVII. 


JEHOVAH  THE  BUILDER  OF  JERUSALEM. 

IT  can  scarcely  be  doubted  that  this  Psalm  has  special  reference  to  the 
restoration  of  Jerusalem  after  the  captivity  in  Babylon,  and  it  was  prob- 
ably used  at  the  celebration  of  that  joyful  event  recorded  in  Neh.  xii. 

27-43- 

From  beginning  to  end  the  poet  connects  God's  special  goodness  to 
Israel,  as  now  manifested,  with  His  infinite  power,  wisdom,  and  goodness 
in  the  natural  world. 

1  PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 

It  is  good  to  sing  to  our  God  with  the  harp, 
Yea,  pleasant  and  comely  are  hymns  to  His  praise  ; 

2  Jehovah  rebuildeth  Jerusalem, 
And  gathers  the  outcasts  of  Israel ; 


PSALM   CXLVII.  321 

3  He  healeth  the  broken  in  heart, 
And  relieveth  their  sorrows  ; 

4  He  numbers  the  stars, 

And  all  of  them  calls  by  their  name. 

5  Great  is  our  Lord,  and  abundant  in  power, 
Understanding  unmeasured  is  His. 

6  Jehovah  upholdeth  the  weak, 

But  the  wicked  casts  down  to  the  ground. 

7  Praise  Jehovah  with  songs  of  thanksgiving : 
Let  strains  of  the  harp  ascend  to  our  God  ; 

8  The  heavens  He  covers  with  clouds, 

Prepares  rain  for  the  earth, 
And  grass  He  makes  sprout  on  the  mountains  ; 

9  He  gives  to  the  cattle  their  food, 

To  the  brood  of  the  raven  when  they  call ; 

10  It  is  not  in  the  strength  of  the  horse  He  has  pleasure, 
And  He  has  no  delight  in  the  power  of  a  man. 

1 1  Jehovah  has  pleasure  in  those  that  revere  Him, 
In  those  that  hope  in  His  mercy. 

12  O  Jerusalem,  glorify  Jehovah; 

O  Zion,  give  praise  to  Thy  God ; 

13  For  He  strengthens  the  bars  of  thy  gates, 
He  has  blessed  thy  children  within  thee ; 

14  He  makes  peace  in  thy  borders ; 

With  the  best  of  the  wheat  He  has  filled  thee. 

15  He  sends  forth  to  the  earth  His  commands, 
His  word  runneth  swiftly. 

16  He  gives  snow-flakes  like  wool ; 

The  hoar  frost  He  scatters  like  ashes. 

17  His  ice  He  casts  forth  like  morsels  of  bread, 
In  the  face  of  His  cold,  who  can  stand? 

1 8  He  sends  out  His  word  and  dissolves  them, 

He  puts  forth  His  breath,  and  the  waters  flow  off; 

19  His  word  He  has  shown  unto  Jacob, 
His  statutes  and  judgments  to  Israel ; 

21 


322  THE   PSALMS. 

20   Not  so  has  He  blessed  any  nation, 

His  statutes  and  judgments  no  other  has  known; 
PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 

(10)    Power.       Heb.   legs,  with  his   steed,   nor   his    own    muscular 

special  reference  to  foot  soldiers  in  power  will  secure  victory  to  the  war- 

an  army,  as  the  preceding  line  to  rior,  apart  from  the  help  and  bless- 

cavalry.      Neither  the  strength  of  ing  of  God. 


CXLVIII. 


LET  THE  HEAVENS  AND  THE  EARTH  PRAISE  JEHOVAH. 

THIS  Psalm  abounds  in  the  boldest  personifications.  It  not  only  cele- 
brates the  Almighty  rule  of  God  over  all  the  creatures  He  has  made, 
but  calls  upon  them  all  to  utter  His  praise.  Delitzsch,  following  many 
others,  finds  within  the  meaning  of  this  Psalm  a  transformation  in  the  visi- 
ble creation,  connected  with  moral  transformation  wrought  by  Divine  grace 
upon  men,  —  that  "  creation  will  become  at  last  the  clear  mirror  of  the  Di- 
vine glory  and  a  veritable  thousand-voiced  hymn,"  and  he  refers  to  certain 
descriptions  of  the  prophet  Isaiah,  and  especially  to  Rom.  viii.  18-22  as  of 
similar  import.  It  may  be  questioned,  however,  whether  this  were  in  the 
mind  of  the  poet  here.  There  is  no  intimation  of  present  discord  or  depres- 
sion in  the  sphere  of  nature.  These  striking  apostrophes  rather  suggest 
that  all  the  works  of  God  obey  Him,  exhibit  His  perfections,  and  so  in  their 
dumb  way  praise  Him,  and  set  an  example  to  man,  who  only  is  remiss. 

There  are  two  parts  ;  the  first  (1-6)  relating  to  heaven,  the  second  (7-14}  to  earth. 
The  order  is  reversed,  descending  from  the  highest  to  the  lowest  in  heaven,  but  as- 
cending from  the  lowest  to  the  highest  on  the  earth. 

1  PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 

From  the  heavens  give  praise  to  Jehovah; 
Give  Him  praise  in  the  heights ; 

2  Give  Him  praise,  all  His  angels; 
Give  Him  praise,  all  His  hosts ; 

3  Give  Him  praise,  sun  and  moon, 

And  let  all  the  bright  stars  give  Him  praise ; 

4  Praise  Him,  O  heaven  of  the  heavens, 

And  ye  waters  that  are  higher  than  the  heavens. 


PSALM   CXLIX. 


323 


5  Let  them  praise  the  great  Name  of  Jehovah, 

For  He  gave  the  command,  and  they  came  into  being, 

6  And  He  fixed  them  forever  and  ever, 

He  made  a  decree  which  they  cannot  transgress. 

7  Praise  Jehovah  from  the  earth, 

Ye  monsters  of  the  sea,  and  all  depths  ; 

8  The  fire  and  the  hail, 
The  snow  and  the  vapour ; 

9  All  ye  mountains  and  hills, 
Fruitful  trees  and  all  cedars ; 

10  Beasts  and  all  cattle, 

Reptiles,  and  birds  that  have  wings ;  , 

1 1  The  kings  of  the  earth,  and  all  nations, 
Princes  and  all  judges  of  the  earth; 

12  Both  young  men  and  maidens, 
Old  men  and  children  ; 

13  Give  praise  to  the  Name  of  Jehovah, 

For  His  Name  is  exalted,  His  only, 
And  His  majesty  higher  than  the  earth  and  the  heavens. 

14  And  He  lifteth  a  horn  for  His  people, 

As  a  praise  for  all  His  beloved  ; 
For  the  children  of  Israel,  a  people  very  near  Him  ; 
PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH! 


CXLIX. 


A  VICTORIOUS   NATION   GLORIFYING  JEHOVAH. 

THIS  Psalm,  like  the  three  preceding  (see  cxlvi.),  is  entirely  appro- 
priate to  the  circumstances  of  the  Jewish  people  immediately  after 
the   Babylonish   captivity.     They  regarded  their  deliverance  as  a  signal 


324  THE   PSALMS. 

proof  of  Divine  favour,  and  joyfully  anticipated  for  the  chosen  nation  the 
glory  described  in  the  most  glowing  predictions  of  the  prophets.  This 
is  well  expressed  by  Perowne :  "  The  old  days  of  the  nation,  and  the  old 
martial  spirit  are  revived.  God  is  their  king  (ver.  2),  and  they  are  His 
soldiers,  going  forth  to  wage  His  battles,  with  His  praises  in  their  mouth 
and  a  two-edged  sword  in  their  hands.  A  spirit  which  now  seems  san- 
guinary and  revengeful  had,  it  is  not  too  much  to  say,  its  proper  function 
under  the  Old  Testament,,  and  was  not  only  natural  but  necessary,  if  that 
small  nation  was  to  maintain  itself  against  the  powerful  tribes  by  which  it 
was  hemmed  in  on  all  sides.  But  it  ought  to  require  no  proof  that  lan- 
guage like  that  of  verses  6-9  of  this  Psalm  is  no  warrant  for  the  exhibition 
of  a  similar  spirit  in  the  Christian  Church." 

1  PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 

Sing  a  new  song  to  Jehovah, 
Hymns  of  praise  when  His  loved  ones  assemble. 

2  Let  Israel  rejoice  in  his  Maker, 

Let  the  children  of  Zion  exult  in  their  King ; 

3  His  Name  let  them  praise  in  the  dance, 

From  the  timbrel  and  harp,  to  Him  let  their  melody  rise. 

4  For  Jehovah  has  joy  in  His  people  ; 
The  meek  He  adorns  with  salvation. 

5  Let  His  loved  ones  exult  in  their  glory, 
Let  them  joyfully  sing  on  their  beds, 

6  Lofty  praises  of  God  in  their  mouth, 
And  a  double-edged  sword  in  their  hand; 

7  On  the  heathen  to  execute  vengeance, 
To  punish  the  nations ; 

8  To  bind  up  their  sovereigns  with  chains, 
Their  nobles  with  fetters  of  iron  ; 

9  To  execute  on  them  the  sentence  recorded, 
This  honour  have  all  His  beloved ; 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH! 


PSALM   CL.  325 


CL. 


HALLELUJAH.       THE  CLOSING  DOXOLOGY. 

1  PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH! 

In  His  holy  temple  praise  God : 
Give  Him  praise  in  the  sky  spread  out  by  His  power. 

2  Give  Him  praise  for  His  mighty  achievements, 
Give  Him  praise  in  His  manifold  greatness ; 

3  Praise  Him  with  blasts  of  the  trumpet, 
Praise  Him  with  lute  and  with  harp ; 

4  Praise  Him  with  timbrel  and  dance, 
Praise  Him  on  strings  and  the  pipe  ; 

5  Praise  Him  with  clear  sounding  cymbals, 
Praise  Him  with  cymbals  loud  clashing  ; 

6  Let  all  that  have  breath  praise  Jehovah  ; 

PRAISE  YE  JEHOVAH  ! 


THE  END. 


ANSON   D.  F.  RANDOLPH  &  CO., 

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THE  DIVINE  ORIGIN  OF  CHRISTIANITY  INDICATED  BY  ITS  HIS- 
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writings,  and  with  no  preliminary  examination  of  the  authenticity  of  their 
reputed  authorship,  traces  the  various  influences  exerted  by  Christianity 
over  the  spiritual,  social,  moral,  mental,  and  political  life  of  mankind.  .  .  . 
As  an  impartial  and  scholarly  survey  of  the  history  of  humanitarianism 
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brilliant  contribution  to  the  literature  of  Christian  apologetics. 

THE  SENSUALISTIC  PHILOSOPHY  OF  THE  XIX.  CENTURY.  Con- 
sidered by  R.  L.  DABNEY,  D.D.,  L.L.D.  New  and  enlarged 
edition.  8vo.  Cloth.  $2.50. 

"  The  author  begins  historically  by  reviewing  the  sensualistic  philoso- 
phy of  previous  centuries,  tracing  it  from  Hobbes,  through  Locke  and 
his  school  in  England,  and  Voltaire  and  his  fellow-philosophers  in  France, 
to  what  the  author  considers  its  natural  result  in  French  Atheism  and 
the  reign  of  terror.  He  then  traces  its  revival  in  Hume  and  the  Mills 
to  its  second  development,  as  he  views  it,  in  the  evolution  philosophy  of 
Darwin  and  Spencer  and  the  atheism  of  Buchner.  The  chief  line  of  refu- 
tation, however,  is  in  the  attempt  to  establish  the  opposite  system  of 
rational  philosophy.  The  author  vindicates  the  intuitive  powers  of  the 
soul,  and  restates  the  argument  from  design  in  view  of  the  evolutionist 
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so  present  the  laws,  customs,  habits,  topography  of  places,  and  situation 
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ignorant,  such  splendid  and  precious  material  as  will  serve  to  illumine 
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the  reader  will  find  in  this  work  all  of  that  learned  and  careful  study  and 
grouping  of  particulars  which  makes  a  rationalistic  life  of  Jesus  —  like 
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general  reader.  .  .  . 

The  author  is  neither  a  futurist  nor  a  preterist  in  his  scheme  of  inter- 
pretation. .  .  .  The  striking  characteristic  of  the  exposition  is  judicious 
moderation.  The  object  of  his  search,  as  indicated  by  his  title,  is  the 
"  Wisdom  "  of  the  book,  and  not  a  chase  after  trifles.  The  result  is,  that 
we  lay  down  the  volume  with  a  feeling  of  satisfaction  that  the  Apocalypse 
is  not,  after  all,  as  blind,  barren,  or  puzzling  as  its  illuminated  expositors 
have  made  it  out,  and  that  the  wisdom  of  God  has  illustrated  itself  in 
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value  of  what  it  has  disclosed,  and  in  the  way  in  which  these  things  which 
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variety  of  his  style.  No  one  was  better  fitted  to  write  a  history  of  West- 
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